The Five Dragons
by ShadeShadow234
Summary: What if Igneel wasn't alone when he found Natsu? With the power of five dragons at his fingertips and a twisted past at his back, Natsu Dragneel joins the Fairy Tail Guild, and starts on the road to recovery. (Its only a matter of time before things fall to pieces). No romance, hiatus over.
1. Five Dragons

_I should be working on something else… But I can't focus on it… So, if you've read the description (I mean, unless you go randomly tapping on stories, how would you not have?) you know what's going on here, EXCEPT! There's something that's isn't mentioned there! I've taken a lot of characters, and swapped them around. Also, no relationships. Now, let us begin…. (Also I don't do well with schedules… So….) ((also also, I don't really pay much attention to dates in tv shows, soooo, every date, except for July 7_ _th_ _, x777 is probably gonna be wrong.))_

* * *

Igneel roared, a fearsome sound. The Dragons in front of him halted in their quarrelling. Almost timidly, a watery blue Dragon stepped forwards. "Igneel, how do you know you didn't… Just… You know… Imagine hearing a child crying?" The blue Dragon was shoved aside by a flustered golden one.

The air sparked and cracked with electricity as she stared up at Igneel. "You flaming moron! You dragged me away from my studies, saying it was an emergency! I would not count trekking through the woods, because you imagined some stupid child crying an emergency!"

Before Igneel could respond, a dirty brown Dragon spoke up. If one looked close enough, you could see brilliant green scales shining through under the thick layers of roots and dirt, but only if you had refined your eyes. "Oh? Was rereading your old dusty books really research Empra?"

The now named Empra spun to face the elder Dragon. "You're just getting crusty in your old age, Grotee." Grotee chuckled. Even if Igneel didn't call for him, he too had heard the child's cries, and joined up with Igneels group.

He suppressed another chuckle, young Dragons could be so oblivious sometimes, they all assumed it was someone else who invited him.

The watery Dragon from earlier curled up, blushing. She was really quite a shy Dragon, and her crush on Igneel didn't help matters. Who she curled up next to however, had no qualms with showing his emotions. The frigid Dragon was glaring daggers straight at the group. "Igneel, you fiery bastard, you had better have a pretty good damned reason to drag me away from my nice cold mountain, and into this horrible, hot fores-" and he was cut off by a screech from Empra.

"Igneel! There's a child on your head!"

Igneel, who had been remarkably patient, opened his eyes. He had been sitting back, arms folded, eyes closed. "I know. _Why_ do you _think_ I tried to get your attention." He reached up, grasping the child gently around the midsection. The young boy appeared to be no more than five, with pink hair. He giggled, batting at the large red Dragons snout.

All the other Dragons quieted. Finally, the golden Dragon spoke up. "Igneel, what are we going to do? I mean, there's no towns for miles, we don't know who his parents are, and according to my research, orphanages are terrible places, unless you manage to find a good one, but how do we do that, I mean we're Dragons-" Grotee placed his massive dirt encrusted paw on her shoulder.

"Empra. You're rambling again. Let Igneel talk.

Igneel raised his head. "We'll raise him."

* * *

 **X776**

* * *

A massive Dragon raised his head, as if challenging the heavens. He slammed his claws into the Earth, tugging, and in a wage of wills, he succeeded, yanking the ground up, before throwing it.

Dust bellowed out and away from the mighty Dragon, and shrouded its figure, and the figure who the Dragon challenged. The second figure appeared as if an acorn next to the mighty Dragon, but still held its ground. The second figure was a man, no, a boy.

The child disappeared into the dust, as it was cleared by a few mighty beats of the Dragons wings. The Dragon blinked. "Natsu? I didn't crush you with my last attack, did I?" There was a small giggle from the Dragons brow. "Got you!"

The boy leapt down from the Dragons head, holding a painted target. "Why couldn't I use any spells? I want to get better at magic! Come on Kyu!"

There was the sound of clapping from the sideline. The other four Dragon from earlier stepped out. Empra snatched the target away from Natsu. "Because that's not the point of the exercise," she paused to wipe some dirt off of Natsu's cheek, "the point is to hone your body, and get you thinking! You can't just power through all of your problems. You've got to think every now and then.

Natsu huffed, and crossed his arms. "Igneel said I don't need to think too much, and that he doesn't."

Empra turned her harsh gaze to Igneel, who was glaring at Kyu, the ice Dragon, as Whirl, the water Dragon, cheered Igneel on. While the red Dragon was still oblivious to her crush, Whirls shyness slowly faded, making her very outgoing.

Empra turned back to Natsu, only to see he wasn't there anymore. "Natsu? Where the heck did he go?" She turned her gaze to Grotee, specifically eyeing the tree that had recent started growing on his head. Grotee had gotten more senile, and often forgot who Natsu was, or she was, or who any of them were. Empra doubted he even knew there was a tree on his head. Even so, the tree had become a favourite hiding spot of Natsu's.

She sighed. How on Earth Natsu managed to keep them together, and actually functioning as a family was beyond her.

* * *

 **X777, July 7** **th**

* * *

Natsu bounded out of bed, it was a weekend, which he most enjoyed, because he got to spend time with his family, instead of going off with one Dragon and training until he passed out. He bounced excitedly around the cave that had served as his home, before he noticed something that was off. "Igneel? Kyu? Empra? Grotee? Whirl? Where are you guys?! This isn't funny! Come on!" Natsu ran outside, finding some objects lying on a boulder with a note.

 _Dear Natsu, we are truly sorry to have left so suddenly. We cannot tell you why we have left, for that would put your life in grave danger. Take these objects, to remember us by. Stay safe, Signed, Empra, Igneel, Kyu, Whirl, and Grotee._

Nastu picked up the items one by one. First was a white scarf, with a scale design. He wrapped it around his neck, smelling it deeply, it smelt of Igneel. Next was a green gold ring, with a jade Dragon curled around it. It was Grotee's gift. Then was an armband, that looked like water. It was as if someone had taken water, and solidified it, while still letting it move like water. No doubt this one was from Whirl.

Natsu was crying openly now.

Next was Empra's gift, a spell book. Natsu flipped it open to the first page. It was completely blank, and then he was the quill, ink on the end. Inscribed on the side was ' _Write the knowledge you require, and this pen and page shall give you your desire_.' Natsu thought for a moment, before writing Igneels name. On that page, a full profile on Igneel appeared. It had everything, from a stupid stunt he'd pulled as a dragonet, to the most fierce battle he'd won, except for his current location.

Finally, Kyu's gift. It was a small diamond on a chain, and as Natsu held it up to his eye, he could see what looked like a small blizzard going on inside the precious gem.

It was the straw that broke the camels back, and Natsu began to cry, curling in on himself.

* * *

 **X778**

* * *

Natsu stumbled through the bushes in the fancy yard. A large man stomped angrily after him. "Little brat! How long have you been in my house, eating my food, stealing my clothes!" Finally he caught up to the boy, picking him up by the collar.

"Mr. Heartfilia! It my fault, not his!" A maid stumbled up. "I found him a year ago, he was all alone! I didn't mean any harm!" Jude Hearfilia glared at the poor maid.

"He's been in _my_ house for _a year_ and you didn't think to tell me?" His voice was dangerously quiet. Sighing, he turned his attention back to the boy squirming in his hands. "Well, I did want a successor…"

* * *

 **X784**

* * *

A blond girl leaned on a desk. "I heard a rumour you have some powerful gate keys here!" A blue cat flitted around the store, looking at some of the flashier propaganda. "Gate keys hm? That's an unusual request." The shop keeper pulled out a case, that opened to reveal a silver key.

"Nickola? That's not a strong key… But it's so cute! How much is it?"

"20,000 jewel."

"I'm sorry, how much was that?"

"20,000 jewel."

The blond perched on the counter, unzipping her top a little, and raising a leg. "Come on, how much is it really worth?"

* * *

Stupid old geeser must be blind! He only knocked off a thousand jewel!" The same blue cat from earlier landed on her head.

"I guess you're just not pretty Lucy."

"STUPID CAT!"

Cheering caught her attention. A bunch of guys crowded around someone. "Celestial! Celestial!" Lucy paused in her tirade against unfair shop prices and the intelligence of cats.

"I thought people called me Celestial… I should check this out."

* * *

Weaving through the crowd, Lucy smoothly reached the centre, eyeing a blue haired caped lady, striking a dramatic pose. She sighed and walked away again. "-and you're all invited! Star carpet."

Lucy turned again, watching the lady leave on some cheap knock off of celestial magic. "Sheesh. Doesn't she know how celestial magic really works? You summon spirits, not carpets..." She turned to continue on her way, only to slam into someone.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" She shouted angrily, eyeing the person she knocked into. He looked to be about her age, wearing a closed vest with one sleeve, baggy pants, and a long waist coat. He had a white scarf on, a diamond necklace, some ornate water armband, a green and gold ring, and a heavy book tucked under one arm.

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you? You're the one who slammed into me! My name is Natsu, Nastu Dragneel." He stood up, brushing off his pants, before offering his hand to Lucy. "What's yours?" He grinned.

* * *

 _Hahahahaha… I'm going places with this story. I have around five or six other story ideas that I'm going to fit into this one… Any and all feedback is welcome, Im a complete amateur, so any feedback and advice is totally welcome!_ ~ShadeShadow


	2. Fairy Tail

_I'm back! I realize I forgot my disclaimer, and I'm horrid at remembering them, so you can safely assume that nothing except for the idea, Grotee, Whirl, Kyu, and Empra, is mine. It will be the same for the rest of this fic. Also, as you've noticed, I had to swap Bora's gender. Prepare to see the same for some other characters, but no one too major._

 _DragneelHarem, I'm uncomfortable writing romance, and as I've said, this fic is relationship free. (Well, aside from what happens in the show, so yea.) That being said, let's go!_

* * *

Lucy reached up, grasping Natsu's hand. "I guess you're right, I'm Lucy." She let go of Natsu's hand, and grabbed Happy, who was attempting to burgle a fish from a nearby vendor. "And this is Happy. Now I feel kinda bad, how about I make it up to you!" Lucy tapped her chin, getting lost in thought.

Natsu laughed. "Don't worry about it! It is kind of my fault, I shouldn't have stopped where I did." Lucy ignored him.

"Hm… You probably don't want a gate key… I know! I've been to Hargeon a few times before, so I know all the good restaurants. I treat you to lunch!" Lucy exclaimed. That definitely caught Natsu's attention.

* * *

Lucy couldn't help but stare, in slight awe. On one side, there was a perfect stack of dirty dishes, and on the other was a mountain of food. ' _There goes the money I saved at that old mans store…_ ' "So Natsu, what brought you to Hargeon?"

Natsu paused, he had been munching on a pizza, and swallowed before answering. "Well, I heard a rumour that a member of the guild I want to join was here, but it looks like she was just a fake. Why are you here?"

"Well, I heard a rumour there was a strong gate key here, but it was just a rumour." Lucy sweat dropped, in the time it had taken her to finish a single sentence, Natsu had almost finished eating.

"Well, I'd better get going." She grabbed Happy, who was munching on a fish. "See you Natsu!" She placed some money on the table, and left the restaurant. ' _What a weird guy…_ '

* * *

Natsu stretched out on a park bench. "Aw man, that was a great meal. I do feel kind of bad though, she didn't really need to buy me lunch. Oh well." He pulled out a copy of that weeks Sorcerer Weekly.

"Wow, Fairy Tail destroyed seven homes!? And only to catch a few bandits… Man, I wish I knew what the qualifications are. I'd definitely fit in." Rustling from a nearby bush caught his attention.

"Huh? Who's there?" Natsu stood up, and readied himself for a fight, only to relax.

You see, who popped out of the bush, was none other than Celestial. "I've been looking for you cutie!"

Natsu deadpanned. "Yea? And you were in a bush why?"

Celestial paused for a moment. "That… That doesn't matter. I wanted to invite you personally to the party on my yacht!" She winked, making sure some of her cleavage was showing.

"Sorry, I don't do transportation." Natsu glared at her. "Creep."

"Creep! Why would you call me that! And come on, surely we can work something out."

Natsu heard footsteps behind him, but ignored them to focus on the lady in front of him. "No. I'm not going to your party." Celestial sighed. "Oh well, I was going to offer you a Fairy Tail membership."

Natsu whirled to face her. "You? A member of Fairy Tail? Ok, then let me see your guild mark."

Celestial sighed. "You should have just come, it would have made this so much easier…" She nodded to someone behind Natsu, and before he could turn, he was knocked out by a hard hit to the back of his head.

The burly man who knocked Natsu out laughed, and clapped 'Celestial' on the shoulder. "Good job Lora. This sucker never saw it coming!"

Lora glared at him. "Don't call me that. It would have been so much easier if he just fell for my charm magic. He must be pretty strong to resist, though. He'll fetch a good price. Take him to the ship."

* * *

Lucy leaned back against the railing, ignoring the view of the ocean behind her in favour of relaxing. Happy sat next to her, munching on yet another fish. Where he kept on getting them from was beyond her, she hoped he wasn't stealing them. "Hey Lucy, think that's where Celestial is having her party?"

"Who cares." A cat call over to the side caught her attention. She cracked one eye open, seeing three men over to that side.

"Oh man, Celestial is so hot! Why didn't I go to her party!?"

"Celestial? Who's that?" The man who asked was clubbed on the shoulder by one of his buddies.

"You don't know? Ha! She's a totally famous Fairy Tail wizard, man. She's totally sexy."

Lucy whirled around and eyed the yacht. "A Fairy Tail wizard, huh?"

She didn't need to say anything to Happy, he knew what to do. A few moments later, the two were in the air, sailing towards the glowing ship.

Once they were over the ship, Lucy pulled out one of her gate keys. "Open, gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" There was a bright flash, before an anthropomorphic cow appeared, wearing nothing more than a pair of underwear, gloves, boots, a cow bell, a nose ring, and toting a massive axe.

He crashed through the roof of the ship, followed by Lucy, who was lowered down by Happy.

It appeared Lucy chose just the right place to crash through, as 'Celestial' was looking at her, shocked. Lucy glared at her. The same burly man from earlier was there, and nervously pointed at Taurus. "Why is there a cow, Lora?"

Lora glared at him. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!"

"I know her. she was kicked out of the Titan Nose guild a few years ago, for bad behaviour." Happy remarked.

Lucy's glare only intensified. "I know for a fact that you aren't a Fairy Tail wizard."

Lucy pulled off the gloves she had been wearing, revealing a pink guild mark on the back of her hand. "Because I'm Lucy Ashley of Fairy Tail, and I've never seen you before."

One of Lora henchmen pointed at her. "S-sh-she's the real Celestial!" In a moment of panic, Lora fired a spell at Lucy, and actually succeeded in knocking her off the boat. Taurus took the hit for her, but still ended up pushing her over the side.

Not even a minute later, a massive wave built up, and threw the ship onto shore. Men scrambled out of the wreck, taking off and running for their homes.

Lucy, meanwhile, glared at her spirit. "Next time can you not sweep me away with the ship?!" The mermaid spirit crossed her arms. "That was an accident, I ended up hitting the ship as well."

"You were aiming for me?!"

"Don't call me for awhile, I'm going on vacation with my boyfriend." She gave Lucy a small smirk. " _My boyfriend_."

"You don't need to rub it in!"

Lucy sighed, and as her spirit vanished, she turned her gaze back to the wreck. "Now just to deal with Lora, and then I can go home and have a nice, long, warm bath." Then, a figure on top of the boat caught her attention. "Natsu?"

"Finally, the damn ship stopped moving!" He brushed away the remains of ropes, though they appeared to have been cut through clearly, and they were dripping with water that had no way of getting there. "What the hell is wrong with you!" He glared at Lora.

Lora attempted to regain her composure, pointing to one of her men. "Roast him!" The man in question quickly cast a spell, sending a wave of fire towards Natsu. Lucy went to run towards him, before noticing her foot was stuck in fishing rope. She scrabbled at it, trying to free herself so she could help Natsu, but she was too late.

The fire swirled around Natsu, until Lucy couldn't even see his silhouette. Lora sighed, turning away. "That's what you get, the bigger the talk, the weaker the man."

"Gross!" Lora looked around at her men. "Wh-who said that?"

"I did." This time Lora turned to the flames, as Natsu's silhouette was now visible, and he was… Eating?

"This is the worst tasting Fire I've ever had! Are you really a fire wizard?" Finally the last of the flames disappeared down his throat, and he swallowed, before wiping his lips. "Either way, thanks for the meal."

Then he began started slashing his arms, as if in an imaginary sword fight, where his arms were his swords. "Water Dragons Blades!" A small, blue magic circle appeared on each of his wrists, and each place he slashed, a watery blade appeared, before shooting towards Lora. Natsu then held his arms together, so the two magic circles were connecting, and lowered his hands, and when he raised them again, a massive water blade took shape.

"Take the Water from my left wrist, and the Water from my right, put them together and you get… Water Dragons Slicing Storm!" The big water blade exploded forwards, shooting towards Lora, who had no chance to dodge. She took the hit, and went flying backwards, crashing through a few buildings before flying into a church bell, which clanged loudly.

Natsu glared after her, before turning to a shocked Lucy. "W-w-w-what… What was that?" Natsu grabbed and broke the rope around Lucy's ankle.

"That was just my magic."

Lucy stood up shakily. "I… Um… Wow… You said you wanted to join a guild, right? How about Fairy Tail?" Natsu smiled brightly.

"That's the guild I wanted to join!" Just then, shouts were heard from over a building. Natsu's eyes widened. "Crap… The army…" He grabbed Lucy's arm, and Happy's tail. "Run!"

"Hey! Where do you think you're going!" Natsu turned and smiled back at Lucy. "Well, I can join Fairy Tail, right? Then let's go!" Lucy couldn't help but smile back at him.

* * *

Natsu, Lucy, and Happy finally stood in front of the guild hall. Lucy pushed the doors open, and was greeted by a wave of noise and the smell of alcohol. "We made it back alive!" Happy cried out, while Lucy kicked a fellow guild member in the face. "You lied! There weren't any powerful keys there!" "I told you! It was just a rumour!"

A few moments later, and a full blown brawl exploded within the guild hall. Natsu threaded his way through the fight, like he had been doing it his whole life. The person he headed towards was the only one who wasn't drinking, stripping, surrounded by women, or brawling. "Hello! My name is Mirajane! What brings you here?" Natsu turned away from the girl chugging a barrel full of alcohol, and back to the barmaid. "I'd like to join."

"Certainly, where would you like your guild mark, and what colour?" "Can I get it in red, just below my right shoulder." "Of course!" Mirajane pulled out the magic stamp, before pressing it firmly to Natsu's arm. When she pulled away, there was a brand new guild mark.

Natsu touched it, before grinning widely. "Alright! I'm a member of Fairy Tail!"

The girl who had been chugging alcohol earlier put her barrel down, and pulled out a stack of cards, a green magic circle appearing in front of her. "Will you all be quiet? So much for having a relaxing drink." The stripper was next, holding his hands next to his side, as the air around them chilled. "Oh yea? Well I'm not backing down!"

Lucy grabbed a hold of her gate keys, while a burly man with white hair let a magic circle envelop his arm, and as he pulled his arms back, it was coated in stone. "Man!" A ginger haired man in the corner, surrounded by girls, grasped his ring, preparing a spell as well. Before anyone could make a move, a giant appeared in the middle of the crowd. Everyone froze.

"I can't turn my back on you brats for even a minute!" The giant eyed the crowd. "Hmm? Are you a new member?" Natsu shot him a thumbs up. "Yep. You're the master, right?" The giant chuckled, before he started shrinking. Once he was half the size of Natsu, he stopped. "Why thats quite right. I'm Makarov, as you know, the Master of this guild." "I'm Natsu, Natsu Dragneel." "Well Natsu, welcome to Fairy Tail."

Natsu turned, unaware of the stare he was getting from the master. ' _He's been through a lot. I can only hope Fairy Tail can help him recover._ '

* * *

 _Aaaaaand that's a wrap! I can safely say, I never expected the response I got from only the first chapter, oh man. I actually fell out of my chair when I saw how many people had followed/favourited. Thanks guys! And, as always, any criticism is totally welcomed. ~_ ShadeShadow


	3. Mount Hakobe

_If I could choose one type of magic from Fairy Tail, I'd probably choose Arc Of Time. It's just so practical…_

* * *

 _DragneelHarem, thank you, and don't worry about it. :)_

 _HagikasaHoshiko, it's always nice to know someone's enjoying my story. :D_

* * *

Once things hadcalmed down considerably, Makarov made a large jump to the second floor railing, hitting his head on it, and then pulling himself up to stand on it. "You damn brats have gone and done it again!" He addressed the guild, his voice surprisingly loud, catching everyone's attention.

"You bunch of clods! Just take a look at how much paperwork the magic council sent me this time!" He pulled out a sizeable stack of paper.

"This is the biggest line of complaints yet! Have you lost your minds? All you kids are good for is getting the magic council mad at me!" He paused for a moment, almost shaking with rage. "However…" The stack of papers in his hand ignited, and he threw them out over the crowd. "I say to heck with the magic council."

What no one saw, as Makarov continued his speech, was Natsu caught the flaming papers before they hit the ground, and quickly ate the fire off of them, before discarding them once more.

"Now listen up, any power that surpasses reason, still comes from reason, right? Magic isn't some kind of miraculous power. It's a talent that only works when the flow of energy inside of us, and the flow of energy in the natural world are in perfect synchronization. In order to preform magic, one must have a strong mind, and the ability to focus. It should take over your being, and come pouring out of your soul! If we're always to worry about rules then our magic will never progress. Don't let those blowhards on the council scare you. Follow the path you believe in! Because that's what makes the Fairy Tail guild number one!" He pointed to the ceiling, as did everyone else, as they all cheered.

Natsu looked around at his new Guild mates, and he smiled widely. He could only hope this home would be permanent.

* * *

The majority of the crowd has dispersed, going back to what they had been doing before hand. Cana chugged alcohol, Nab stared at some requests, Natsu took a seat at the bar, and Mira started washing a glass. Lucy and Haply walked over to the request board, before a job caught her eye. "Oh wow! 60,000 jewel just to take down some bandits!?"

"Sounds good Lushie!" Happy commented.

"Please sir, send someone after my dad!" Natsu turned, a dark haired young boy with a big S on his shirt was talking to Makarov.

"Your father is a Fairy Tail Wizard, he'll be fine."

"But he said he'd only be gone for a few days, and he's been gone for over a week now! He's only at Mount Hakobe, it's not that far away! Please! Send someone after him!" The boy protested.

"As I said, he's a Fairy Tail wizard! Have some faith in your old man, why don't you. Now, go home, have some milk and cookies, and wait!" The boy had tears in the corners of his eyes, as he punched Makarov in the face, before running out of the guild.

"I HATE YOU ALL!"

Lucy slammed the request back onto the board, as Natsu shot up from his seat. They both marched out of the guild, no questions asked.

Natsu took a moment to ruffle the crying child's hair, before continuing.

Back in the guild, a newer member couldn't help but ask, "What's up with them?"

Mira responded. "I can't say for Natsu, but just after Lucy joined, her parent were killed by a dark Mage. Makarov took her in, as she was just a little girl. She still blames herself, so she can't stand when someone insults their parents, or someone's parents go missing."

* * *

"You are so lame!" Lucy stared in slight shock at the scene before her, she had hailed a cab, so the journey would be faster. What she didn't know was Natsu's motion sickness. He had barely sat down before he fell over, barely restraining himself from vomiting.

"I… Can't help it…" Lucy clapped her hands on her cheeks, in a very melodramatic fashion.

"I suppose it's just another reason to feel bad for you."

"What… Was that?"

"Oh, nothing." Natsu narrowed his eyes as much as he could at her, before leaning out the carriage window.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but this is as far as I can go." Lucy pushed the back doors open, only to be chilled by a gust of frigid wind. She quickly wrapped her arms around her torso, trying not to shiver too badly.

"Wow," Natsu's voice rang out into the chilly air. "I've never seen a blizzard so weak!"

Lucy shot him a look of disbelief. "Are you kidding me! This is the strongest blizzard I've seen!"

"But it's so small!"

"It's taking up a whole mountain!"

"So?"

"Does that mean nothing to you?"

"Excuse me?" The driver nervously butted in. "Would you mind getting off? I'm kind of freezing…"

Lucy quickly apologized, before grabbing Natsu by the scarf, Happy by the tail, and leaping off of the wooden carriage. "Thank you!" She waved goodbye to the driver, as he happily turned and hightailed it out of there.

Lucy soon enough summoned another one of her spirits, a giant clock. She climbed inside the spirit, grabbing a blanket from her pack. "Lucy? Why are you in there?" She muttered something, but even Natsu's sensitive Dragon Slayer hearing couldn't pick it out from the howling wind.

"What?"

"Im staying in here because it's warm!' She exclaims." Natsu turned his gaze upwards, only to see the clock face, had, well, a face.

"Oh! Cool!" He poked the spirits face, as he announced something else.

"Stop poking Horolugium!' She yells." Natsu took a step back.

"Fine." He turned, cupping his hands around his mouth, kind of like a megaphone. "MACAO! MACAAAAOOOO!" Happy slipped into the spirit with Lucy, while Natsu steadily moved farther away.

Natsu turned, noticing the lack of clock behind him. "Lucy? Great, now I have two people to search for." He grumbled to himself, before noticing he was quite close to an icy cave.

"Sweet!" He brightened considerably. Dashing into the cave, he broke off a chunk of ice from a slaglamite. Popping it into his mouth, he promptly spat it back out. "Yuck! This ice is gross!" Sniffing around the cave, he caught a distinct smell, Vulcan. Searching under the heavy smell of large, smelly ape, he found the smells of fire, blood, magic, and Fairy Tail.

Before he could read too much into it, he heard loud thumps behind him. Thinking quickly, he dashed behind an ice pillar, peering out. Why he saw half relieved him, half freaked him out.

Lucy was curled into herself in Horolugium, Happy on her head, as she stared, horrified, as a Vulcan did some weird dance around her, chanting "Me like Human Woman! Me like Human Woman!"

With a poof, Horolugium disappeared. "Sorry miss Lucy, but it looks like my time is up."

"No! Wait! Give me an extension! Come back!"

Natsu, meanwhile, caught a whiff of the Vulcan, and after clutching his nose, because when in the world was the last time this thing bathed!?, he identified a smell hidden under the stench. That Vulcan, no doubt about it, was Macao.

With that knowledge in mind, he carefully made his next move. He reached out with his Earth Dragon Slayer senses, finding four root on each side of the Vulcan. He was faintly aware of Lucy using her magic, but ignored it in favour of focusing on his task. He carefully fed each root magic, smirking as they grew. Once each root was strong enough, he mentally yanked them through the icy walls, wrapping each one around a different limb. Once he was done, the Vulcan was fully restrained, spread eagle style. Granted, he was sideways, but hey, it worked.

Natsu wiped his brow, as Grotee might have been a young Dragon once, he certainly wasn't while he 'trained' Natsu. His Earth Dragon Slayer magic was definitely sub-par, he couldn't even use an Earth Dragons Roar.

He quickly snapped back to present, just in time to stop Taurus's axe from taking off the Vulcans head. "Natsu? How long have you been here?"

"Longer than you. That Vulcan is who we're looking for. My guess is take-over."

"How do you know that?"

Natsu tapped his nose. "My sense of smell, he either is Macao, or he ate Macao." Lucy's face paled considerably.

"I… I almost killed him…" Natsu wound his fist back, as Lucy thanked Taurus, who made some comment about Lucy giving him a smoooooch, before dismissing him.

"Sorry about this Macao…" Natsu hit the overgrown monkey square in the face, easily knocking him out. Natsu then gratefully released his hold on the vines, letting the monster drop. Slowly but surely, he slowly shrank back into a Mage of Fairy Tail. Natsu grinned widely! "I knew it! Haha!" Lucy glared at him, before hitting him solidly in the head with a Lucy Kick.

"You idiot! I almost killed him, and you're celebrating?!"

Natsu rubbed a sizeable lump on his head where Lucy hit him. "Yea, well you didn't did you? He's fine, right?"

Lucy kicked him again. "You moron! He's still hurt! He's unconscious! You call that fine!"

Natsu tenderly rubbed the new lump on his head. "Ok! Ok! He's not fine! He's not fine!"

"WELL YOU COULD AT LEAST TRY TO BE REASSURING!"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? HES NOT FINE, HES FINE, CHOOSE ONE!"

Happy luckily intervened before things could get worse. "Lushie, shouldn't you bandage his wounds? I think he's waking up…" Lucy paused, before springing into another flurry of movement. Where in the world she managed to get that many bandages from was beyond any of them.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that Macao fully woke. "I'm so pathetic… I took down nineteen of them, but the twentieth one got me."

Lucy was quick to reassure him. "Romeo will still be impressed! He just wants you back! He doesn't care if you didn't defeat all twenty. You're his dad, he loves you." Natsu sat back, looking at them.

' _Could I ever have bonds like that?_ _With other people?_ '

* * *

 _Ending this one off here. Sorry about cutting off the scene where they get back to Magnolia, but I couldn't get it right. Oh well. ~_ ShadeShadow


	4. Spirits

_I moved the apps on my iPad around, and now I can't find anything. At least it looks nice. I also had a great time on my vacation!_

* * *

 _Coldasgray, nice to know! I'll try and keep an eye out for that._

 _Guest 1, make up your mind! Is this a good story, or a bad story? XD_

 _Guest 2, it is a little odd seeing a mature Natsu, isn't it._

 _Maes 56, here ya go! (I can't help but think of FMA from your username…)_

 _HagikasaHoshiko, I'm back! And i have ideas! I'm just sorry this took me so long._

* * *

Natsu stretched out on Lucy's couch, she was letting him stay at her place until he could get a proper house. Rolling over he noted the bathroom door was closed, and Lucy's bed was empty. With a small sigh, he leapt off the couch, and rolled his shoulders. Yep, couches definitely didn't make very good beds.

Not the worst he'd had though, he faintly remember the time Grotee forgot him on a tree. That in itself wasn't so bad, except for the fact the tree was hanging off an unstable cliff. He'd been too scared to move, fortunately Igneel came and got him.

Unfortunately, it had taken him two days to do so, mainly because Grotee couldn't remember where they had been training.

A click came from the bathroom door, and Lucy stepped out, clothed in a red heart kruez shirt, and blue shorts. "Oh, you're awake. Good morning!"

Natsu yawned. "Morning." Just then, there was a loud splat sound from the window.

Lucy jumped, and Natsu jolted fully awake. The window then clicked open, and Happy sheepishly flew in, rubbing his nose. "Why'd you close the window after I left Lushie?"

Lucy sighed. "Because I thought you had the common sense to open it again before trying to fly through."

She turned back to Natsu, who was barely restraining laughter. "You want something to eat?" He gulped down any giggles that were threatening to escape, and shrugged. "Sure."

* * *

"So, Natsu, I've been meaning to ask, what was that magic you used yesterday? To restrain the Vulcan?" Natsu set down the cup he had been sipping from.

"I'll tell you if you show me what magic you use." Lucy shrugged.

"Sure, why not. I've been meaning to make a contract with the spirit I got in Hargeon anyway." Lucy sat up from her seat, reaching for her keys, and pulling out a silver one.

"Alright, pay attention. I call upon thee, in the world of the celestial spirits. I beckon you to my side at once, pass through the gate!" The silver key floated out of Lucy's hand, and began to spin, before Lucy snatched it out of the air, gripping it in her hand once again. "Open, gate of Canis Minor! Come Nickola!" She swung the key downwards in a dramatic fashion, Where it met with a magic circle.

Turning the key slightly, she was rewarded with a ' _Ding-Dong_ ', and yellow lights spiralled up and out of the circle, before forming into a little snowman dog.

Natsu waved his hand at her. "Nice try." Lucy turned, glaring at him.

"I meant to do that." Happy then butted in, waving his hand in front of his face.

"Gee Lushie, you really showed off that time."

Lucy smacked him. "Shut up, stupid cat!"

She turned back to the little spirit "You are such a cutie!" She cried out, hugging the little snowman dog.

"Think so?" Natsu remarked, unimpressed.

Lucy turned her gaze to him. "It doesn't take much magic power to get these guys through the gate, so a lot of wizards keep them as pets! Well, let's get started on our contract. My name is Lucy." She then pulled out a notepad.

"Are you free on Mondays?" The spirit shook it's head. "Tuesdays?" This time the spirit nodded. "Wednesdays?" It shook it's head again. "What about the rest of the week?" The spirit raised his paw, and nodded. "Great! That just about does it."

Lucy tucked the notepad away again. Happy landed on Natsu shoulder, popping a fish in his mouth. "Sheems pwddy weasy sho me."

Lucy looked at him. "Don't speak with your mouth full."

Happy sweatdropped, before swallowing. "Seems pretty easy to me."

Lucy glared at him. "You should know by now."

She turned, sighing. "Although it's to be expected from someone as stupid as you."

"HEY!"

"You see, Celestial mages have to keep the promises they make with their spirits, otherwise the contract between the Mage and spirit will be broken. That's why I make it a point to always keep my promises! Now, you keep yours, and tell me what magic it was you used!"

Natsu crossed his arms, he had been hoping Lucy would have forgotten. "It was Earth Dragon Slayer magic."

"Dragon Slayer magic? Like your other magic?" Natsu nodded, before requipping his gifted book. Flipping it open to the third page, he held it out for Lucy to examine. "Gr… Grotee?" Natsu nodded. "He looks beautiful, if you get past all the dirt encrusted on his scales. But… How many Dragons do you know?"

Lucy almost instantly regretted her question as the book snapped shut and disappeared in a flash of light. Looking at Natsu, he had pulled the scarf up a little, so it was covering his mouth, and he averted his eyes. "I'd… Rather not talk about it." Lucy picked up her little spirit, while standing up.

"Right. I… I understand." Happy chose that moment to change the topic.

"Hey Lushie! Whaddya gonna name your Spirit?" Lucy seemed to cheer up a little, holding the snowman dog up and away from her.

"Hmm. I think all call you… Plue!" Plue raised a paw and made a happy noise. Happy then narrowed his eyes, as a little mischievous spark glinted in the corner of one of them. "Lushie, maybe we should take Natsu out on a job, to show him the ropes!"

Lucy cuddled Plue closer again. "Sounds good to me. What do you think, Natsu?" Natsu shrugged. "I'm fine either way." Lucy grinned. "Great! Do you have a job in mind, Happy?" Happy reached for his little green knapsack.

"I do!" Pulling out a job poster, he handed it to Lucy.

"Let's see…"

Natsu moved to look over Lucy shoulder. "20,000 Jewel to destroy some book, eh? Sounds good to me." Lucy eyed the man printed on the page.

"I dunno, it says it belongs to… Duke Everlue. Hold on! It says here he's looking for a blond maid!" Lucy glared at Happy, who gulped nervously, before flying behind Natsu.

"Save me!"

Natsu held a hand up, as if to ward off the fuming blond. "Hey, come on now Lucy, you did say you keep your promises."

Lucy gritted her teeth. "I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!" Natsu leaned down to Plue, who had ended up on the floor at some point in the altercation, putting up a hand as if he was sharing a secret with the little spirit.

"See that? Looks like she doesn't keep her promises."

Plue nodded. "HEY!" Lucy sighed, clapping a hand to her forehead. "Alright, fine, I'll go." Natsu stood up again, hi-fiving Happy.

* * *

"Master, would you like some tea? Or perhaps more fish?" They were in a carriage, on their way to the village where the client lived. Natsu was leaning out the window, having lost the battle to keep his breakfast in, as Lucy practiced with Happy as her 'Master'.

"Can I get anything for you?"

Natsu pulled his head back in. "Maybe a sick bag?"

Happy protested."Hey! I'm the Master here, not you!"

Before Natsu could argue back, his dinner decided to make a reappearance, and he leaned back out the window.

"Argh! I can't believe I'm going along with this." Lucy complained, shaking her head.

* * *

The carriage stopped just out of the town. The driver turned and waved apologetically at them. "Sorry, but I just remembered somewhere I got to go, and I got to go there now."

Natsu bounced on the balls of his feet."It's totally fine!"

Lucy sighed. "Oh well. At least we can stop for lunch. Thank you!"

The driver waved again, and took off, racing towards wherever he had to be. Natsu patted his now growling stomach. "Ah man, I'm hungry!"

Happy landed on his head, which he had been circling previously. "Can't you just eat your fire? Or… Roots?"

Natsu glanced up at him. "Oh yea? Why don't you eat your wings? Or why doesn't Lucy eat one of her spirits?"

"Oh, I get it, so you can eat your own magic huh." Lucy tapped her chin, if she managed to get Natsu something free to heat it would take a lot off the bill. "You know Earth Dra-" Natsu narrowed his eyes at someone in a nearby crowd, clapping his hand over Lucy's mouth. Once whoever it was was gone, he moved his hand away.

"Sorry, just someone I've been trying to avoid."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him, he was certainly hiding something. Something important. Deciding to change the topic, so she wouldn't scare him off, Lucy continued off her original sentence. "Right… So, you know Earth Dragon Slayer magic, right? Why don't you just eat some dirt?"

Natsu looked at her, horrified. "Are you crazy? Who in their right mind would eat dirt?"

Lucy held her hands up in an 'I surrender' position, moving them side to side. "Right, right, sorry. I just figured…"

Natsu scratched the back of his head. "Don't worry about it, you had no way to know. Anyway, where are we getting food?" Lucy sighed, so much for saving money.

A few minutes later, they had found a suitably cheap Café, and Natsu and Happy wasted no time on gorging themselves. Lucy order a cup of tea, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, aside from the many sounds of eating coming from Natsu and Happy's side of the table.

Once they had finished, Natsu reached into his pocket, pulling out 1,000 jewel. "That should cover it."

Lucy blinked. "Oh, no, you don't have to pay!" _Please pay, please pay, please pay._

"No no, you payed last time, so I'll pay this time, and then we're even."

Happy nodded. "Makes sense." He waved a waiter over. "Another fish for me!"

"HEY! Don't go ordering more food after I pay!"

* * *

 _Ah, man. I've managed to catch a cold. Sorry this chapter took so, long, and that it's a little shorter. Lots of things kept getting in the way, or I didn't know how to add onto what I had written, which led to me rewriting a lot of things. But hey, I did it. Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long. ~ShadeShadow_


	5. Everlue

_Geez, has it really been a month? Oops. In my defence, I got caught up in other stuff, and I found a really good book series. (Queen Of The Tearling. Check it out!) Also, to keep the quality of the chapters up, I've decided I'll be updating once a month._

* * *

 _Guest, why thank you. (I don't plan things well, so I'm looking forwards to seeing what happens as well.)_

 _Celestialfox1, if I may repeat myself, read more you shall!_

 _Maes 56, yep. Unfortunately, I always end up liking the characters that die._

 _Phoenix, who am I to refuse Sprinkles?_

* * *

Lucy hit the doorbell for the massive mansion. Stepping back, she folded her hands behind her back, resisting the urge to glance over at the woods, where Natsu and Happy were hiding.

The ground began to shake almost uncontrollably, and Lucy stumbled, almost falling. Then, much like a mole, a large woman popped out of the ground. She was excessively large, her maid uniform almost not fitting her. "You wish to see the master?" Her sounded much like how she looked, ugly.

The ground next to her cracked, and a short, chubby man with a moustache that appeared to come straight out of his nose pulled himself up. "Did I hear someone say master?"

Lucy was still reeling from the appearance of the maid.

"Hmm." The man stroked his moustache. "Well? Why are you here?" Lucy gave herself a brief shake, to clear her head.

"Um, I'm here to be one of your maids, Mr. Everlue sir!" The ugly man leaned closer, examining Lucy's features.

"Get lost, ugly."

"U-UGLY!?" Everlue stepped back several steps, spreading his arms out. Four other girls popped out of the ground, each uglier than the next.

"I only collect the loveliest ladies."

Lucy grimaced. "I think you need to get your eyes checked…" The girls cuddled up to Everlue's sides, fawning over him.

The biggest, brutish maid scooped Lucy up with one arm. "You heard the master. Get going, **ugly**."

Lucy groaned. "Why does she have to call me ugly too…"

When Lucy had finally rejoined Natsu and Happy, they were rolling on the ground, laughing. Natsu gasped for breath. "He… He called you ugly!"

Happy clutched his stomach. "And sh-she carried you all the way down to the town!"

Lucy clenched her fist. "That's it! I'm gonna kill that little pile of-" a loud bust of laughter cut her off. Natsu sat up, wiping a few tears from his eyes.

"Alright, we should go with the plan Happy made, plan T!"

"Plan T?"

Happy floated up to settle on Lucy's head. "Yea! Plan Take-Em-By-Storm!"

Lucy face faulted. "That doesn't sound like a proper plan…"

Natsu finally stood up. "Well, maybe we should sneak in. Something tells me that that brute is tougher than she looks. Happy, can you fly us up to the roof?"

Happy drooped. "Aw, I wanted to bust in." Natsu waved a few jewel in front of his face.

"C'mon, I'll buy you a fish afterwards!"

* * *

Once they had gotten onto the roof, infiltrating the mansion had been far too simple. Everlue, the fool, had no alarms on his windows, or alarms of any kind for that matter. Maybe he was counting on his looks to scare trespassers away.

Probably.

Natsu creaked a door open, checking to see if it lead out into the house, they room they had broken into hadn't seen much use, aside from the occasional mouse or spider. He slid the door shut again, it was just a closet.

Onto the next door then. Behind him, he heard Happy scaring Lucy with some skull he had picked up. Must have been a leftover Halloween decoration, perhaps from the mansions previous owner. Everlue just didn't seem like the type.

Getting a little impatient, he pulled the door open with a bit more force and- WHOA!

Natsu slammed the door shut, pressing his back into it and breathing heavily.

Ok… Ok Everlue had definitely been counting on his looks. Gazing back at him, from what he assumed was the main room, was the grinning visage of Everlue, his fat tongue hanging from his gaping mouth, barely avoiding his jowls.

Prepared for the face this time, he reached for the doorknob, before hesitating.

Ooh, the fun he could have with this.

"Hey, Lucy!"

Lucy, who had been staring at him curiously, jolted. Had he seen her staring? No, he couldn't have, he was facing the other way. So what did he…? "Yea? What do you want?"

Natsu gestured to the door. "Why don't you go through? Ladies first." _Hook._

"Uh, no thanks."

"Why not?" _Line…_ Natsu leaned in, narrowing his eyes. "You scared?"

' _Yes'_ "No." _Sinker._

"Well then go ahead!"

Lucy swallowed. "Um, no it's fine, you can go." Natsu moved away from the door, silent until he was right next to Lucy.

"Oh, so you are scared!"

"W-what? No!"

"Prove it."

Lucy huffed, pulling herself up and crossing her arms. "Fine! I will!"

She marched determinedly to the door, and Natsu stepped aside, hands behind his back. The gripped the doorhandle, and practically ripped it off its hinges.

Lucy paled.

Her eyebrow twitched.

Her mouth opened, and

She screamed, long and loud.

Natsu burst out laughing, and Happy who flew over to investigate let out a little shriek of his own.

The maids from before leapt out to the ground, the gorilla maid right behind them. "Get them, girls!" They leapt into the air dramatically, brandishing mops and cleaning rags. Perhaps startling Lucy wasn't worth it...

Natsu raised an eyebrow. "C'mon, what are ya gonna do, clean me to death?"

The maids faltered. "Uh, what were we going to do?" One maid asked. Another shrugged.

Or not.

The brute maid scowled. "The Master doesn't care how you beat them, he just cares that you do!" The maids seemed unconvinced. She sighed. "I'm sure The Mast will treat you if you do a good job."

Next thing Natsu knew, he was on the receiving end of several mops. He quickly blew them away with a Fire Dragons Iron Fist, however, knocking the maids out.

"Well that was easy."

* * *

Lucy examined the spine of yet another book. After wandering from golden Evelue room to golden Everlue room, they had finally come across the library, a sight for sore eyes, as it was Everlue free.

She was perched on the top of a ladder, trying to find Daybreak among the vast collection of books.

"Hey, Lucy!" She looked down, Natsu was searching the lower levels.

"The book we're looking for is Daybreak, right?"

"Yep!"

He waved a fancy golden book in the air. "Found it!"

Lucy grinned. "Awesome!"

She turned to Happy, who had been cat-napping next to her, and shook him gently. "Hey, Happy, wake up. I need you too lift me down." Happy sleepily rubbed his eyes, but complied.

Once Lucy touched the ground, Natsu joined her and handed her the book. Lucy frowned at the tacky cover, before checking the author. "No way! This was written by Zabua Melon!"

"Eh?"

"He's amazing! He's totally my favourite author, I thought I had read all of his books! This one must have not been published."

Natsu crossed his arms. "Right. So would you mind handing it over? We have a job to do."

Lucy longingly gazed at the cover. "We could just tell them we burned it."

"And if word gets out? How would Fairy Tails reputation suffer?"

"I would be careful, you know!"

Natsu frowned, tapping his head. "These things have a way of getting out."

Lucy scowled. "Are you threatening me?"

Natsu grinned, but this grin was different from his usual grin, well, what Lucy thought his usual grin was. It was threatening. "Now why would I do that?"

"Natsu? You're starting to scare me…" Lucy hugged the book closer.

Before Natsu, or anyone else for that matter, could make any moves, a section of the library slid out, revealing Evelue standing between two smug looking men.

Natsu took note of their Guild Symbols, and snorted. "Southern Wolves. Bounty Hunter Guild. Lucy, take the stupid book and Happy, try and not get caught."

Lucy gulped, before setting her face determinedly. "Right." A slight quiver in her voice gave her away.

Natsu slammed one fist into the other, once he heard the library door slam. "Let's get to the point."

Everlue smirked. "Well, boys, I'll leave him to you. I'll deal with that bratty girl."

The two Guildsman took battle positions, as Everlue burrowed away into the ground.

Natsu followed suit, striking a battle position. "Well? Come at me!"

"Well aren't you a little cocky fairy fly. We're the Vanish Brothers, and you'd better look out!"

Natsu raised an eyebrow. "What kind of stupid name is that?"

The brothers scowled, the younger, or at least shorter, one flipped his pan in his hand, narrowing his eyes. The taller one showed no visible reaction.

What they didn't see, on the inside, Natsu was beginning to panic. Not because he thought he'd lose, but because of the memories that came with dealing with bounty hunters. Mercenaries.

* * *

 _This took far longer than planned. Oops._ ~ShadeShadow


	6. Daybreak(Dear Kaby)

_So I managed to slice one of my fingers open… And it's the finger I use most when I type. (My left ring finger. I have an interesting way of typing.) Therefor, I was unable to get this done in time for Christmas. I suppose I'll have to do a Christmas special next year. To all of you who celebrate Christmas, Merry (belated) Christmas!_

* * *

 _Phoenix, thanks!_

 _Enjali, you will find out during a certain arc that's coming up soon. Or at least, sort of find out. (A good Writer never reveals their twists right away.)_

 _Erza Ashley, nice to see you! I suppose this would remind you of Dragon Tail, considering they're both writing by the same person. Oh, so you're PINEing for more tree puns, huh? Do you CEDAR what I did? (Spare my toe! I'll update! I'll update I swear! 'Sides, I already (kind of) lost a finger!)_

* * *

Lucy leaned back against a wall, she had taken refuge in the sewers. While it smelt bad, (really, really bad) she hoped the smell would be enough to keep the pompous Everlue away while she used her Wind-Reader Glasses to power through Daybreak.

As she read, something became evident to her, clearer and clearer with every page. There was a spell on the book, and as she flipped the last page, an explosion shook the mansion above her head, shaking small stones and dust onto the quickly flipping pages, and Lucy's hair.

She shook the pages clean, and closed the book. Then she craned her head backwards and looked up at the ceiling, which still had cracks spiderwebbing through it.

' _I hope Natsu's ok…_ ' Happy, who had been flitting around and checking out the sewer, finally flew back to Lucy's side and perched next to her on the now dusty floor. "What do ya think that explosion was, Lushie?"

Lucy patted his head. "Probably nothing too important, Natsu's tough enough to take care of himself." Happy yawned. "Yea, you're right… Find anything in Daybreak?"

Lucy grimaced, "It's a crappy adventure novel with a lame-o as its hero. However, it hides a secret, and if you look at it the right way you can see-" the wall behind Lucy burst open, and Everlue stuck his head out, grabbing Lucy's arms and holding them behind her back.

"Nonsense! I know that book cover to cover!" He tightened his grip. "Tell me! What did that whackjob hide from me?" Lucy snarled. "Like I'd ever tell a creep like you! Happy!" Happy latched onto Everlue, scratching at anything he could reach, after all, he may be blue, but a cat is still a cat.

Everlue screeched, and let go of Lucy, opting to bat at Happy instead. Lucy pulled herself off the floor, and snatched at her keys. _'Aquarius would kill me, Taurus, no thanks, one pervert at a time is enough, Plue wouldn't help, neither would Horolugium or Crux… So…'_

"Open, Gate of the Giant Crab! Cancer!" A doorbell sound rung out from the key, and a magic circle spiralled away from the Golden Key which Lucy held tightly to.

Everlue, who had recovered himself, quickly snatched a Golden Key of his own our of one of his fancy suits pockets, to Lucy's surprise. "Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" He stretched the 'I' in Virgo, to an extent which made the name demeaning.

The giant maid from earlier practically exploded into the room, shaking the sewers once more.

Except… Natsu was clinging to her back, flames spewing out of his mouth. He snapped his mouth shut, and looked around, bewildered. "Lucy?" His gaze snapped onto her. "What…?" Lucy had about as much shock on her face as Everlue did. "You… But that's impossible! How did you pass through the spirit realm?"

Natsu shrugged, to the best of his ability. "I just grabbed a hold of…" He leaned down to the ugly maid. "What's your name again?" "Virgo." "Right. I just grabbed a hold of Virgo, 'cause she was waking up, and next thing I knew I was here."

"But what about my mercenaries!" Everlue shrieked. Natsu grinned again, "I beat them! They didn't stand a chance!"

Everlue tore at his ratty moustache, snarling. "Virgo, get him!" Natsu jolted for a second, as if realizing oh, yea, I'm on her back, before lighting a fist on fire. "Fire Dragons Iron Fist!"

Virgo went down, once again, with naught but one hit.

Meanwhile, Lucy joined Cancer's side, who had taken to sulking in the corner. (My entrance was perfect, baby! No one saw it!)

"I'm sorry Cancer, I promise I'll make it up to you. How about… I'll let you style my hair any way you want, for a week." Cancer practically teleported upright, scissors at the ready.

"That's what I'm talking about, baby! What can I do for you today, baby?" Lucy pointed at Everlue. "Would you mind giving his hair a nice trim?" Cancer snapped his scissors closed, before opening them slowly. "Sure thing, baby!"

Everlue didn't stand a chance, and Lucy sported some interesting hairstyles for the next week.

* * *

Natsu grumbled as he slogged through the swamp.

Kaby had not been pleased to see the book, angry they had not completed his quest. Before the chance to burn the book came up, Lucy had snatched it away, and revealed that a spell had been placed on the book, which, when removed, changed the position of all the letters and words in the book, revealing it to be a final letter from Kemu Zaleon, a famed writer, and past Mage.

No reward had been accepted for the job, as they had not completed the original request of burning said book.

And now, Happy's nose was certainly not reliable. The scent of Magnolia, as faint as it was, was growing fainter, and fainter.

Or maybe that was just the stench of the swamp.

It was probably the swamp.

Hopefully.

Otherwise he'd either have to utilize his Water Dragon Slayer powers, or spend the night in muddy, crusty clothes. Switching from one element for another was hard, as he had to completely focus on the next element he wanted to use, and continue to do so for around a minute, and honestly, who sits down in the middle of a battle to meditate? It was especially so when the elements were opposites like fire and water, or ice. The elements would duel for dominance within his magic container, which, really, was not a fun feeling. (That, and meditation while in muddy smelly clothes was not easy.)

It was a shame lightning couldn't clean clothes, nor could fire. And earth would just make said muddy clothes muddier.

Supposedly, he could use a washing machine, but that'd mean being in his underwear with Lucy for roughly an hour. He'd rather have muddy clothes, honestly. At least in Magnolia there was a river he could sync up with, he found having the element he was trying to use close by helped a great deal.

If it came down to it, he could dunk himself in the nearest water source and be done with it.

Such were the dilemma's Natsu was facing, while Lucy was happily curled up in Horologuim, mud free, and Happy circled around his head, not a care in the world.

Once they reached the end of the swamp, Natsu paused. A foreign, yet somewhat familiar scent was coming from a nearby bush. He took a moment to consider, before reaching up and grabbing Happy by the tail, tugging a fish out of his little green backpack, and, despite the cats heavy protests, hurling it into the bush.

"Hey!" Sure enough, an unfamiliar member of Fairy Tail emerged from the bush, missing both his shirt and pants, a fish gripped in one hand. "Can't a guy use the washroom in peace!" Natsu crossed his arms. "You were following us, weren't you?" "What? No. I was on my way back from a job, that's all."

"Sure you were." "What's your problem?" "I was just wondering why a stripper was following us in the woods." "I'm not a stripper, and I wasn't following you!" Unamused, Natsu pointed behind him, to where a trail of clothes was evident. "Huh?! When did that happen!?" "It's been happening for the past few minutes."

Lucy, who noticed Natsu stopping, dismissed her spirit and joined the two boys. "Natsu, this is Gray. Gray, Natsu."

Natsu proffered a hand to Gray, but the ice Mage ignored it, opting to cross his arms and address Lucy instead. "Where'd you pick up this loser?" "OI!" "Remember the job I went on to Hargeon?" "Nope." "While I was there I came across a dark wizard, Lora, and together we defeated her."

Gray turned back to Natsu, choosing to offer a hand shake, even after ignoring Natsu's previous attempt at contact. This time Natsu ignored him. "Hey, Lucy, did you see where Happy went?"

"Uh, no, why? Is he missing?"

* * *

As it turned out, some rogue wizards had snatched Happy for a meal when he dove into the bushes Gray had emerged from to retrieve his precious fish. Natsu, being distracted by Gray hadn't noticed the new scent nor had he noticed Happy's scent fading.

As such, when the trio had found Happy again, he was tied to a stick over a fire, trying to convince his captors to let him go to the toilet. ("It'll make me taste yucky!")

Lucy found her whip to be more than enough to deal with two of the mages, and honestly the one that chose Gray as his opponent was pitiful. ("I foresee you'll have troubles with water…" ' _does he mean I'm going to drown sometime soon?_ ' "And women." _'Probably not._ ')

The one Natsu faced off had a fairly impressive sand sphere spell, but he didn't have much else going for him, either he'd never been in a real fight before or no one had survived the spell before. It was just as well Grotee had remember to grant Natsu earth immunity, otherwise he'd definitely of come out of the sphere a little worse for wear.

And now, Happy was free and the mages were tied to a tree. One of them glanced around at his comrades before blurting out his thoughts. "You gotta let us go man." Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Do I?" "Yea, man, Erigor is gonna kill u-"

Before the thug could finish his sentence, a giant shadowed hand snatched them away, rope and the tree they were tied too included. "What was that?" Lucy tentatively stepped forwards, eyeing the place they had vanished from.

Gray folded his arms. "Doesn't matter. Anyway, I just wanted to let you now, Erza is coming back from her job, you might wanna hurry and get back to the guild."

"So you _were_ following us."

"Shut up!"

* * *

 _Next chapter, Erza time. I got a Happy pop figure for Christmas, and let me tell you, it's adorable. It also completes my Fairy Tail pop figure set. ~ShadeShadow (OHMYGOODNESS, I JUST FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO LINE BREAKS ON MY IPAD. HAPPY DAYS!)_


	7. Trains

_I've developed quite a cough recently… But I realized I hadn't updated since last year! So of course I have to update. Time to get used to writing 2016- 2017, DAMMIT. Also, I think a bit of Sherlock Holmes, the one done by Benedict Cumberbatch snuck into Natsu. Whoops. (I cut my finger again! Oww…)_

* * *

 _Enjali, yes, I am channeling my inner smartmouth into Natsu. Glad to see its working!_

 _PraetorFable, thank you. As am I, my friend. As am I. (I am a horrible planner. I'm even more clueless as to what's going to happen next than you are.)_

 _Phoenix, yep. I'm looking forward to the Phantom Lord arc too… So I kind of did the Lullaby arc in two chapters… Whoops. And hey, the Elemental Four? They have fire, water, earth, and air. Now, which one of those does Natsu not have? Or maybe I'm misleading you… Ahahaha! I feel the power! Oh, ah, right. Happy New Year to you too._

 _Angryhenry, uh… Thanks?_

 _Erza Ashley, no! Not my hair! Tell you what, if you take my hair I'm taking Natsu's._

 _Erza Ashley(2), welcome back! Don't worry, you're not annoying at all. (Actually you're quite motivational…) Oh no! Not my (nonexistent) pet bug horse!_

 _Erza Ashley(3), well, I was aiming for humor in that scene, glad to see it worked out. :D_

* * *

The guild was silent. Members sat on the edges of their seats, people had chosen to move away from their usual spots, smokers had extinguished their cigarettes, and the heavy drinker of the guild had limited herself to a single glass. (even if it was a very, very large glass.)

' _This Erza must be a real piece of work…_ ' Natsu reflected, as he leaned against the bar waiting for Mira (who seemed to be the only one in the guild not thrumming with nervous tension, odd) to get him his simple order of steak.

As she emerged from the kitchen, steak clearly straight out of the oven, the guild shook. Twice, Mira dropped the steak, thrice, and the front doors burst open. A red haired, armoured girl walked in, horn hoisted above her head. A really, really big horn. "O-o-oh, E-Er-Erza, y-you're back-k." A nearby guild member stammered, sweat dripping down the side of his face.

The lady put the horn down as the guild doors swung shut behind her, finally allowing the lighting in the guild to illuminate her features. Natsu surveyed her, utilizing experience and Empra's teachings to read her. ' _Warrior, powerful, controlling, based off of the guilds reactions, S-class? Likely.'_

He was proved right as she began to speak. "I defeated the monster as the villagers asked, and in gratitude decorated its horn. I thought it was pretty, so they gave it to me out of gratitude." She turned her gaze to a nearby member, who, unfortunately, had ended up with his foot stuck underneath the ornate horn. "Got a problem with that?" "N-no ma'am."

Natsu, pitying the poor guy, moved away from the bar, leaving the money for the steak there, despite not receiving it. Erza turned her attention to him, observing the man who didn't seem too intimidated by her presence. "May I ask who you may be?" "You may."

There was a pause, as the guild held its breath, waiting for Natsu to speak. When he didn't, and simply examined the horn, Erza prompted him. "Your name?" "You asked if you could ask what my name is, you never actually asked what it was." Natsu replied distractedly. "Is this horn from a Komodo?"

Erza paused, taken slightly aback. "Er, yes. It is. And your name?" "Ah, they're notoriously light, made out of packed and hardened hair. Natsu. My name is Natsu." And with that, Natsu lifted the horn away from the poor mans foot.

"I'd say all of the gold and jewels are what's weighing it down." He stood again, making eye contact with Erza. "Kind of irresponsible, really. You say you found it pretty, but that's no real reason to take a good portion of that villages goods, unless you plan to donate the goods to the guild, instead of simply displaying it somewhere, and letting it sit in the middle of the guild to what? Intimidate us? You can gather respect with more than intimidation."

Now, Erza would hit the offending person. Normally, the offending person wouldn't be standing within a minute of insulting her, yet… Somehow this wasn't an insult. It didn't feel like an insult. It felt like someone cared about the guild, and gave her some advice to better herself.

So she thanked him. And told him she'd consider that in the future.

Typically, the great Titania wouldn't react in such a way, but no one new to the guild had reacted to her presence in such a way, usually they cowered in fear.

As Natsu made to move away from the large horn, he caught a glimpse of Lucy out of the corner of his eye, who seemed to have lost all colour from her face. Turning, he was met with similar reactions from other guild members. "…What?"

"Ah, Natsu, was it?" He turned back to Erza, curiosity flashing across his face. "You wouldn't happen to be a particularly strong Mage, would you?" "Yea, I guess you could say that."

Erza mentally gave herself a shake, she'd been out of character long enough. Any longer and the guild may never be the same.

"Good. Meet me at the Magnolia train station tomorrow, at one. Gray, Lucy, you too."

And with that, she turned and left.

"What just happened…?"

* * *

The train station wasn't nearly as busy as it should have been, any people who showed up opting to stand (cower) out of the way of the Fairy Tail members. Lucy and Gray seemed accustomed to it, (Erza must have… Booked… Us ahead of time.) and Natsu, strangely, didn't seem to notice.

Unknown to Lucy and Gray, he was focussing on a faraway sound, a low rumble which was growing louder quite steadily. Louder to him, at least. To other people it was barely a tremor, nothing worthy of note.

As it reached a low rumble, Erza finally stepped into the station, pulling a massive cart full of luggage behind her.

Natsu took pause in this, looking at the pile of luggage, wondering why on Earthland that many suitcases would be necessary. Lucy and Gray took it in stride.

Erza shot Natsu a hard glare, as if daring him to say anything about it, and Natsu closed his mouth.

There are simply some things you don't try to correct.

Once they were on the train, the nervous tension that had followed them onboard vanished, and the people of Magnolia once again filled the station, the usual bustle of life filling the air.

Natsu breathed a sigh of relief, the silence had been unnatural.

Or at least, he was relieved until the train began to move.

Erza, whom he was sitting next to, took note of his ailment, and… Well.

Let's just say Natsu won't be sitting next to her for a while.

When they arrived, Happy, who had been napping on Lucy's head, finally woke up, and began flying in circles. It turns out, a blue cat flying in circles can be quite distracting, even if one is accustomed to the sight. And, as such, and as distracted people were, Natsu was left on the train, and nobody let Erza, Lucy, or Gray know they'd forgotten their friend.

Purely accidentally, of course.

* * *

When Natsu woke up, which was some time later, lest to say, he was not pleased. He was even less pleased when someone got the bright idea to plant a boot in his face, and start slandering the guild. "Stupid fairy fly, you're so pretentious with your guild and your rules, you think you're better than anyone else, don't you!"

Lifting the mans boot away from his face, and trying to keep some composure as to not vomit all over the seat (he was failing. Miserably.), Natsu replied. "Actually I just joined. Considering your speech and mannerisms, I'd say you're the one who thinks he's better.."

As he finished, the train sped up, which meant the ride which hadn't been that smooth in the first place got a hell of a lot rougher. Really though, you'd think someone would bother to smooth out the trail tracks, which had been dented from battles.

Thankfully, the windows opened.

Back at the station, a certain Celestial Mage noticed Natsu's absence. "Erza, I think we left Natsu on the train…"

The redhead turned back to her, slightly confused, before she too noticed the mages absence. "How could I be so careless?" She turned to Gray, and bowed her head. "Hit me."

Gray paused, holding his hands up in a no thanks gesture. "Uh, I'd really rather not… can't we just meet the idiot back at the guild?" Erza smacked him upside the head, apparently recovering from her guilt.

"We can't do that, as new as he his he's still part of the guild!" Lucy fumed. "And I'll have you know he's a capable wizard!" Happy took this moment to try and but in with a "She liiiiiiikes him.", but before he could Erza tugged him away and tasked him with stopping the train so they could catch up.

"Geez, geez, ok, it was just a suggestion." Gray took half a step backwards.

Meanwhile, Erza passed her luggage off on an unsuspecting couple, with instructions to take it to the nearest inn, before stepping outside and… Borrowing… A magic mobile.

Which she promptly crashed through the train station, pausing to let Happy rejoin them, as well as to allow Lucy and Gray to hop on, before taking off again and landing on the tracks, skidding a little to the side.

* * *

As the train slammed to a halt, Natsu withdrew his head from the window, wiped his mouth, and allowed lightning to crackle around one fist. The dark guild member shied away from the light, not noticing a flute drop out of his bag.

Now, this could be taken two ways. It could be taken as the end of Kageyama's life, as Erigor would undoubtedly kill him for dropping the flute, or the continuation, as Natsu slipped on the flute when the train began to move again, the lighting around his hand fizzling out.

Kageyama grinned, or possibly grimaced, and hit Natsu with a strong attack before he had a chance to recover himself.

He never even noticed the magic mobile racing alongside.

Needless to say, when Natsu had crashed out of the train window, Gray had not been expecting it. Perched as he was on top of the magic mobile, he had been the first to know when Natsu wasn't in the train.

Mainly because Natsu landed on him.

To make matters worse, Erza slammed to a halt, causing the mages to tumble off the roof and onto the ground, but not until Lucy had jumped out (she had gotten out rather quickly), so when Erza came around the side of the vehicle she was greeted with the sight of Natsu on top of Gray, who was on top of Lucy.

It was an interesting sight to behold, to say the least.

* * *

 _The Legend Of Zelda Breath of the Wild looks so good…. I've been super excited for it since the trailer… Man! I'm looking forwards to that one! Hey, guys! If I disappear after March 3_ _rd_ _, it's safe to assume I've locked myself in my basement and am playing Breath of the Wild nonstop._ ~ShadeShadow


	8. Erigor

_I completely lost track of time. There I was, sitting in my seat contentedly, chatting to one of my friends about anime we've seen and suddenly she goes "anyway you'll have to watch Your Lie In April soon, it's almost April!" And I was like "oh shit it is" So after a substantial amount of panic, da-daaah! A new chapter!_

 _Enjali, thanks! I was aiming for humour, it appears my aim is true!_

 _Phoenix, why thank you, I'm looking forward to writing the next one!_

 _Phoenix(2), yes, yes, thank you! I shall continue this, even if it's the last thing I do!_

 _HagikasaHoshiko, haha, no worries, I'm a slow updater my chapters often end up much smaller than I'd like, so letting them build up and then reading them is a method I won't mind if you use. Ah, yes, Jude. That's gonna be fun. So is Laxus. *_ _ **salutes back**_ _*_

 _Erza Ashley, YOU JERK I WAS WORRIED! I know I'm probably overreacting but after I updated there was news on people dying and then you vanished, sheesh… And hey, I've been waiting for that game for half a decade(I've played it now it's really really fun12/10), nothing's gonna stop me from playing it. That being said, outta threats, huh? Maybe try curses. 'If you don't update I curse your blanket to never completely cover you', or 'if you don't update I curse half of your hair to always be longer than the other half!'. Curses are fun. (Oh no I'm giving her ideas)_

 _Erza Ashley(2), uh oh… Uh… Well… You know what don't look too closely at you calendar I'm sure it's still February… Let's uh… Let's stay away from volcanoes, yes? Yes._

 _Erza Ashley(3), so I should get off my ass, eh? But what if I write sitting down? Are you telling me to write standing up from now on? But that might delay my chapters even more!_

 _Erza Ashely(4), no worries. I understand the impatience. I've made some angry reviews when an author I like doesn't update as well, and then immediately felt bad, so I'm in the same boat as you…_

* * *

When all was sorted and Lucy was sure no ribs were broken, Natsu was subjected to an intense questioning, courtesy of Erza.

"Are you alright?" "Yes, I'm f-" " Why did the train car explode?" "Well a Dark Guil-" " A dark guild member attacked you?" "Yes, and let me finish speaking!"

Erza blinked. "Right, do you know which guild he was from?" "No, but he did have this weird flute with him, it was wooden, and topped off with a skull, which had three eyes."

Lucy shuddered, and Gray grimaced. "That doesn't sound good."

Erza didn't react nearly as well. "He had Lullaby with him? And you didn't DO anything? You just let him get away!" Her voice rose steadily in pitch, her glare intensifying until Natsu could almost feel heat being directed at him. "Well how was I supposed to know! As far as I'm aware you need us for shopping!"

Erza paused, and then "Did I not tell you why I needed your help?" A quick glance at their little group affirmed her thoughts, they were all shaking their heads.

"…oh."

The deal with Erigor and Lullaby had been explained, rather quickly, while on the 'borrowed' magic mobile, which really meant Natsu still had no idea what was going on and half of Erza's sentences went unfinished due to her focus on driving, Gray and Lucy understood the need for rushing to the next town.

A flute that killed everyone in the nearby area was bad enough as is, but having someone play it in a town filled with innocent people was despicable.

The backstreets of the town were devoid of life, aside from a few stray cats, much to the relief of the driver and passengers of the vehicle.

Except Natsu. He was leaning out of the window, losing his lunch while Lucy held onto the back of his jacket in an attempt to stop him from falling out completely.

And except for Gray, who was clinging to the roof off the machine, where most of the cats ended up. The cats had very, very sharp claws, and very, very short fuses.

And except Lucy, who was too busy stopping Natsu from falling out to fully appreciate the emptiness of the back streets.

And except Erza, who would prefer the main road as it would take them to the station faster.

The backstreets of the town were devoid of life, aside from a few stray cats, much to the relief of Happy.

There was a general sense of panic outside the train station. Guards, who had either been off duty and visiting or stationed there, flooded the platform, escorting everyone off- or rather they had been until Eisenwald attacked. Now people were left to fend for theirselves, whether they be huddled in terrified groups or crawling to an exit, or weeping over a fallen loved one.

Erigor laughed. Soon.

* * *

The guards still standing were outside the station, unwitting of their friends fates. That was, half of them were standing and the other half had to deal with Erza.

The number of standing soldiers was quickly diminishing.

"What's going on in there?" "Uh-" _THUNK_

"Tell me, what's happening in there?" "My fri-" _THUNK_

"ANSWER ME! WHATS HAPPENING!" "AHH-" _THUNK_

"Uh, Erza, maybe wait for their answers?" Lucy shifted Natsu, who was slumped over her shoulder. Erza wasn't the best of drivers on the best of occasions, and this is certainly far from those, not to mention Natsu was never subjected to her… 'Skill' behind the wheel until now.

Gray grimaced, and glanced to the entrance. "Maybe we should just go in and find out."

Erza popped up next to him, leaving the next guard sweating, nervous, but ultimately relieved. "That's a great idea!" A pause, and then "but why didn't you say so earlier?"

Gray thought back to how Erza had stopped outside the station, slamming on the breaks so hard he went flying off the roof, and shook his head. "Uh, I just thought of it now. Yep."

Happy, however, saw through this, and took note of it for later blackmail. One could never have too much fish.

The members of Eisenwald showed no signs of wear, no signs that they had just murdered a good thirty people, and terrorized those too weak or old too flee.

Instead, they showed signs of victory. Kageyama had the flute, the death song, the Lullaby. There had been a lull in the mood when the shadow brat got too cocky in his own right, but Erigor set him straight with a cut in his ear.

The shadow Mage had handed it over easily enough after that.

And now they celebrated. It was time for the dark guilds to reap the respect they deserved.

And if they really had to reap it, well. They certainly wouldn't complain.

They were a dark guild, after all.

Unfortunately, where there is dark, there is light, and where there is a large congregation of dark mages, there's a good chance of a member of the guild Fairy Tail is there as well.

It was simply how things worked for the meddling guild.

So naturally, it was only a matter of time before Titania kicked down the doors.

Erigor smirked down at her, cockiness practically oozing from him.

"How nice of you to drop by, Fairy Flies." Erza pointed a sword that had appeared in her hand in a flash of light at him. "Erigor! Ace of the dark guild Eisenwald! Face me!"

Erigor paused, resting his feet lightly on the scythe he carried, not putting enough pressure on it to cut but enough to give the image of standing. "Hmm, let me think about it…" He stroked his chin in faux thought. "No."

That was enough to spark the goons into action.

"Dammit, Gray, go after him! Lucy, help people out of here! Happy, try and wake Natsu up."

"What about you, Erza?" Erza flashed the small cat an almost malicious grin. "I'll be taking care of them."

With that, light covered her form and the Heavens Wheel armour replaced her usual set.

Ten extra swords joined, her, spinning in a circle behind her back, and with a simple mental gesture, she sent the deadly wheel, the Wheel of Heavenly Blades, spinning into the Dark Guild.

It was only when the last man fell and Erza switched back to her normal outfit did Natsu wake.

"What did I miss?" Lucy, who had finished guiding the last person out and joined him, groaned. "You have no clue."

He frowned at the blood on the walls and the overwhelming smell of iron. "Right."

Erza, though sore from pouring her magic first into the machine, and now into the fight, helped him to his feet. "Gray is after Erigor, I'll be joining him. Incase he doesn't have Lullaby on him I want you and Lucy to go after two of his cronies, who I noticed sneak away from our battle."

Natsu nodded, but Lucy groaned again. It had been draining, helping people out. (The Mage with the swords spinning around willy-nilly didn't help either.)

"Is that a complaint?" Erza loomed over the exhausted girl, who quickly scrambled to her feet and pulled a quick salute. "N-no! Of course not!" Erza crossed her arms. "I thought so. Now, where did Gray- ah."

And she was off, following the trail of clothing.

"Ok, Luce, you go left I'll go- what?" "You called me Luce." "Did I? Sorry, I'll stop if it-" "No, it's fine." "Uh, ri-"

And then Happy butted in. "She liiiiiikes him!" "I do not! Stupid cat!"

Natsu gave a shaky laugh. "Well. I'll go right, you take left." "Right."

"No, left."

* * *

Kageyama wasn't happy. He gained no recognition for breaking the seal on the flute, and when he tried to prove his point, he was sent away with a proverbial slap on the wrist.

And who did he chose to blame his misfortune on? Certainly not himself, and not Erigor if he wanted to keep his head, but instead the fairy fly he had met on the train.

So imagine his delight when the pink haired brat wanders down the hall he had hidden himself away in.

His shadows crept forwards, shrinking away from the boys line of vision, but still edging towards his ankles. Once they were close enough, they would lift him into the air and-

Kageyama recoiled as if struck. Lightning had struck the ground, bringing with it enough light to scatter his shadows. The remainder of the bolt danced across the ground, before dissipating.

"I can tell you're there, you know." Kageyama gave a shaky smirk. "O-of course I know that."

Natsu only raised an eyebrow.

Erza, on the other hand, had found one of the train stations Lacrima imbued maps, modified to help people find loved ones or friends as they disembarked from the train.

Of course, it had other uses, like helping a Mage find another Mage so they could fight, and well, if that wasn't what's its creators planned for it, too bad. It worked.

So, according to the map, Natsu was in a corridor fighting a dark Mage, Lucy and Happy were going in circles, Gray was in another fight with a dark Mage and Erigor was… There! Hovering outside the station.

There was a balcony close enough to her, and Erza wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Erigor! Face me!" The wind Mage, surely enough, was hovering in front of the balcony.

"Now why would I do that? I hold no doubt I could defeat you, Titania, but there's still the risk you might get the Lullaby." Erzas face darkened, she wasn't one to take taunts lightly, especially from people like Erigor.

But Erigor was no fool. He knew of Erza's requip Magic, and he knew of her short fuse. So when Erza's form began to glow, he snapped his fingers, and let the wind barrier he had placed while waiting spin into action, trapping the fairy flies.

Ooh, this was simply too easy.

* * *

 _Haa… Don't expect me to take such a long break again. If I do, feel free to spam my inbox._

 _Now, there are a few things I want to cover. Since my memory is bad, the arc order (including filler) is Daybreak, Lullaby, Deloria, Phantom Lord,, Tower Of Heaven, Uh… Oracien Seis?, Edolas, Tenroujima, Infinity Clock, Grand Magic Games, that one with the zodiacs, and Tartarus, yes? Note, I'm going off the anime._

 _I've looked over my past chapters, and I've noted plot holes, and, Natsu's character is very different then than what it is now. You see, most of my stories spin out from a single thought and sorta… I mean idk what happens but something does and I end up with something totally different than what I first imagined. For example, in the first few chapters Natsu is a lot more open than how I'm writing him now. So, once I'm finished, I'll go back, and I'll fix my past mistakes. And holy cow my writing style has changed. Drastically._

 _Now, a very, very important question. Do you guys want me to add my own arcs to that? I have a few ideas planned out, but if the general consensus is no, then I won't. Moreover, if the consensus is yes, and I start an original idea that people don't like, then I'll delete the offending chapter(s), and continue with cannon events. The poll will be on my profile._

 _Also, for you Harry Potter fans, I'm considering doing a Harry Potter crossover. If you like Dr. Strange, Fullmetal Alchemist, The Legend Of Zelda, or Gintama, then check out the poll. (Note, I've done one with Gintama already but it's a minor one shot and I'm talking full length story here.) The poll will close when I finish this fic._

 _Also I know I said I'd do Lullaby in two chapters but if you want the chapter this month it's gonna be three… ~_ ShadeShadow


	9. Lullaby

_Man I stumbled across one of the openings, opening three, and nostalgia hit me like a truck… But writers block followed quickly. But I did it. Also, the end authors note is going to include some really important story information._

* * *

 _Enjali, oh! Right! Thank you! (How in the world did I forget about that)_

 _Phoenix, hopefully I won't hit writers block like that again. You're quite welcome, and you put desperate back where it was!_

 _Erza Ashley(1), ok first off if you're someone other than Erza Ashley, would you mind scrolling until you see the bold text? It'll be at the end of my response. Thanks!_

 _I noticed you put him/her so just to clarify I am a girl._

 _I agree, Christianity is pretty cool. I became a Christian pretty recently, actually._

 _My family has no idea what fanfiction or anime is, so for the most part they're pretty oblivious to my 'job'. Thankfully that means I can write wherever and whenever, but I'm kinda too shy to show my writing to people I know in real life in case they like laugh or disapprove or something, (laugh at you monitors all you want, Internet fiends!) so most of my work is two in the morning 'hey, I should write something' kinda stuff. (It works though!) ((Apparently))_

 _haha, I was a little worried, though I guess it was kind of an over reaction. I was just concerned, that's all. (Igneel.) I hope your sister has a healthy kid! And hey, now that I know the reason behind it, I won't freak out again._

 _I get headaches from being in vehicles of any kind, except for my cousins airplane. (Weird). So I get where you're coming from. (Probably largely in part to my parents taste in music. My mum likes country and my dad likes rock and roll and those should never be mixed…) Alright, how about this. I don't want to leave things out for other readers, so in the parts where I mention you-know-what, I'll put an asterisk, *, before and after so you know what to skip._

 _When I'm sad I usually watch a random episode of Gintama. (Over 300 episodes of quality comedy what) ((gotta make sure it's not a serious arc though otherwise I'll end up sadder..))_

 _I honestly think of people who leave constant reviews giving me support as friends, even if I know once I finish a story they'll leave, (hence Dragon Tail being twice its original, planned length, 10 chapters.) ((I said I was bad at plans))_

 _And hey, I'll miss you too, buddy. At least until your next review._

 _Ok but honestly your review left me squealing and grinning like an absolute dork and now I'm all watery eyed and can't quite see the keyboard. Thank you! Thank you so much!_

 _Love_

 _Another dream_

 _The monsters running wild inside of me_

 _Erza Ashley(2), I am so sorry I had no idea. I swear I'll uphold the asterisks. Scouts honour!_

 _ **Ok, you're good. Go, go, go!**_

 _Idk, thank you! Your wish is my… Delayed… Command. **thumbs up**_

* * *

Erza glared at the wind as if it could be intimidated. She had already tried to break through, and lost a gauntlet for the effort. Grimacing, she turned back into the building. Perhaps with her friends help they could get through the barrier. Maybe.

Hopefully, for the sake all the innocent lives that may be lost.

Lucy was easy enough to find, and Gray made his own way back to them, minus his clothes and plus some bandages, strangely enough.

Erza was quick to hand him his clothes, which she pulled out of her requip space.

Natsu, on the other hand… Well, all the direction Lucy had been able to give them was he went left, but where he went from then was anyone's guess.

However, the singe marks on the walls were solid clues.

As was the sound of an explosion.

And the rubble.

Ok, maybe finding Natsu wasn't all that hard.

Kageyama was pressing his back to the wall of a well lit room, and Natsu stared him down. "What are you planning to do with Lullaby?" "As if I'd tell you!" A slight growl escaped him, and Natsu raised a fist to knock him out.

"Natsu, wait!" "Huh?" His head turned, and that was the perfect opportunity- but not for Kageyama. His guild mate, a rather frog looking man who's magic centred on phasing through solids, stuck his arm through the wall- and Kageyama's body.

Killing a Guild Mate wasn't unheard of in Dark Guilds, especially if the ace or master of the Guild ordered it.

Natsu whirled back, and bit back a curse. Then he took in the damage, and didn't bother restraining himself. Lucy rushed forwards, and Erza requipped some bandages, passing them to her. Gray joined Natsu in hunting down the frog mage.

"Dammit- er- you! Live!" Erza took to shaking him, once Lucy had finished wrapping his torso. "Uh, that's not exactly motivational? And stop shaking him, he's gonna bleed out!"

"We need him to tell us the plan! He was the one with Lullaby originally, he should know what they're gonna do with it!" Lucy sighed. "I know, but he can't tell us anything if he's dead!"

Erza paused to think about that, and then dropped Kageyama. "You're right." "DON'T DROP HIM!"

It was then that Natsu and Gray rejoined them, a distinctly annoyed look on Grays face. "He got away." Erza's eyes darkened. "Dammit. Lucy, help me move him. I want to be as close to the barrier around us in case it lets up.

"Barrier?" "Erigor cast a wind spell around the station to keep us from interfering."

* * *

There was a crackle, and Natsu's fist was shoved away from the barrier, the strong winds slicing and cold. Shaking the abused fist, Natsu grimaced. "Trying to get through there would be painful, and in all likelihood, fruitless." Erza nodded. "I lost my gauntlet trying to force my way through."

Gray frowned. "Damn. Kageyama is really our only way out, isn't he?"

The aforementioned man was still unconscious, though considering the fact he had been impaled minutes prior it wasn't surprising.

"Natsu, can't you use your magic? You know, make a tunnel?" Natsu shook his head. "Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near good enough to even consider trying that. Do you have any spirits that could help? I did pass through the gate with Virgo before, remember?"

Lucy groaned. "Don't remind me. Everlue is someone I'd like to never think of again. Unfortunately passing through the gate is a major breach of contract, it was fine before as Virgo is Everlue's spirit, and besides, I can only summon my spirits where I am. We'd need another celestial Mage outside the barrier."

Happy, who had been perched on Lucy's shoulder suddenly gave a small screech of realization. "That's what I forgot! I knew it was something important!"

"Something important? How important, exactly?" Erza turned her cool gaze to the frazzled cat.

"Very! Sort of! Uh… It's important to Lucy…?" Happy deflated.

Erza sighed, and turned back to the wall of winds.

Lucy prodded the cats stomach. "What is it?" Happy turned to his little green bag, and tugged out something scaly and smelly, and there was a pause before Happy shoved the long dead fish back in. "Wrong thing." On his second attempt, however, a long golden key presented itself.

"Here!" Lucy wrinkled her nose, and gingerly took the key, before she realized what it was and gasped. "Happy! This is Virgo's Key! You can't just take things!"

Happy raised his paws in a desperate form of defence. "She gave it to me!" "Virgo did?" "Yea!" There was a pause, and then "but she almost stepped on me first."

Lucy stared at the key in her hand, the ornate gold glinting, before grasping it more firmly and chanting the summons. This, of course, caught Erza, Gray, and Natsu's attention. And they watched at the magic circle gave way to reveal a young lady, the celestial spirit bowing, and much different than how she had been with Everlue.

Her hair was shorter, her eyes blue, and she was far slimmer, manacles around her wrists.

"Uh, Virgo?" Lucy uncertainly squinted at the spirit. "Yes, mistress?" "So it is you… Why are you so… Different?" "I change my appearance to suit my master, mistress." "Don't call me that." Certainly, my lady." "Not that either." "Princess?" "Uh, sure."

Natsu, who had been watching from a small distance, joined Lucy. "So. Is there reason for the shackles?"

Lucy turned an impressive shade of red. "Not what you're thinking!" Natsu barely dodged the kick she had aimed at him.

"Whoa, whoa, sorry!"

Virgo took a fighting stance. "Shall I help you with him, Princess?"

Lucy groaned. "It's alright. Can you dig us a tunnel to get us out of here?"

Virgo relaxed, taking a bowing stance, one arm across her stomach and the other at her back. "Of course, Princess." With a sound not unlike a jackhammer, she sunk into the ground, and in a moments time the group was outside the barrier fighting the massive gale.

Erza grit her teeth. "We need another magic mobile!" She shouted over the winds. "Right!" Gray scanned the street.

Lucy thanked Virgo, and with a final bow the spirit disappeared in a flash of light.

And as the others searched, rather fruitlessly for a magic mobile, Natsu turned to Happy. "Just how fast can you fly?"

* * *

Erigor cackled madly as the wind lifted him, the strong tempest pushing him forwards. This was it! He was going to kill the masters of the damned light guilds and prove that Dark Guilds were the strongest,

Lullaby seemed to hum in his grasp.

But then, there was a rushing that had nothing to do with Erigors winds, and the sound of strained wings, before a heavy weight crashed into his back, forcing him to the ground. Or rather, the narrow railway track.

Erigor had half expected this, actually.

Flipping himself back and ridding himself of his unwanted passenger, Erigor landed. Natsu, Happy tired and cradled in his arms, landed in front of him.

Erigor chortled. "Well well well. You've got quite the bou-" Natsu cut him off. "Erigor. Give me the flute."

"Ooh, is daddy dearest a touchy subject?" Natsu's eyes narrowed with rage. Happy stirred in his arms.

He set the little cat on the ground behind him.

Erigor switched his scythe from the lazy, one hand way he had been holding it to a two handed grip, battle ready.

Lightning swarmed around Natsu, a ball of it condensing in his hand. "Lighting Dragons Spark!" The ball launched itself forwards, and once it was in range of Erigor it burst into a dozen different lighting strikes, all of them rebounding madly and several curving towards the metal of Erigors scythe.

With a curse, he swept his hand and a wall of wind cut the lighting off, allowing it to rebound towards Natsu.

Just as they grew close, they fizzled out. "That all you got, boy?"

Natsu growled.

The duo traded blows after that, a strike for a strike, a spell for a spell.

"Enough! I grow tired of you, boy!" Then Erigor smirked. "Think your pop will still want you if you're crippled?"

Natsu responded by making several jabs at Erigors left side. "Ha! Think you can hurt me with that? Think aga-"

Now, what Erigor either hadn't seen or hadn't cared about, was that during their fight, Natsu had directed several lighting attacks towards the rails, leaving them sparking with built up energy. And when he grew those punches, he forced Erigor back and onto the rail.

He was fried.

Lullaby clattered to the ground.

Natsu picked it up, and gave a small, sad smile. "All this trouble for a flute. I ought to snap you in half."

Before he could follow through on any threats, tires squealed and Erza jumped off the 'borrowed' magic mobile. "Natsu!" Then she paused, and looked behind him to see Erigor, still smoking slightly, and Happy, who managed to sleep through the fight.

"Well done. You'll fit right in at Fairy Tail. Did you get Lullaby?" Natsu held up the demonic flute, and hid a wince.

Or, at least, he held onto it until shadows snaked up his arm and snatched it, and until Lucy and Gray were grasped by shadows and thrown away from the magic mobile. Kageyama caught the flute and his shadows took the wheel, and the critically injured man somehow managed to defeat a team of powerful Fairy Tail mages.

Who knew running people over was so effective?

* * *

Makarov sat silently, aware of the eyes watching him. The latest edition of Sorcerer Weekly was in his grasp, and the ability to make perverted comments came a little too easily. Perhaps he should be more reserved in front of his fellow guild masters… But then again, the images…

With a sigh, he stood, and surely enough, as he mused to himself over the latest centrefold, a young man approached out of the corner of his vision.

"Ah! I wasnt doing anything suspicious! It was purely innocent.. Er. Research! Purely innocent research!"

There was a pause, during which Makarov attempted to slink away. Whoever this young man was, he wasn't Erigor.

"Um, excuse me sir, but would you mind listening to me playing a song on my flute? They wouldn't let me play in the hospital…"

Or maybe there was some merit to waiting around. Mirajane had mentioned that Erza, Lucy, Gray, and their newest member Natsu were on the job, perhaps they could have taken down Erigor.

Makarov inwardly wept for the expenses he'd undoubtedly be covering later.

"Go ahead, kid. Just.. Keep quiet about the magazine…"

Raising the thrumming flute to his lips, Kageyama hesitated. Would the curse kill him too? Was he really ready to kill a town full of people?

"You know kid, light guilds aren't really that bad. We laugh and we get along well, and there's never any worry of a guild mate killing another." Lullaby inched closer to the ground. "We look out for each other, and eventually, we become family. You aren't barred off from that. But know this, you play that flute, and you will be. Forever."

With a hollow clunk, Lullaby hit the ground.

And with a great rustling, the other guild masters revealed themselves, Master Bob had Gray hooked under one arm, with Erza, Lucy, and Natsu following them uncertainly.

The threat was gone.

Almost.

Because Lullaby was bloodthirsty. It had been promised and let down. It had looked forward to the screams, the dying wails. Instead it got laughter.

And it was angry.

Ripping itself free of dozen of age old enchantments, Lullaby resumed its true form, a massive demon the likes of which had not been seen since Deloria was killed.

Lullaby was unstoppable.

Lullaby was invincible!

Lullaby was…! Under attack.

It raised one of its mighty arms and tried the crush the red headed speck, but it dodged.

Erza barely moved in time. Gray cursed, and made a dozen or so ice lances that impaled the demons arm like some perverted form of acupuncture.

Lucy summoned Taurus, who got to hacking at once of Lullabys legs, effectively crippling it.

And Natsu? Natsu was meditating. Straight up, straight down, no two ways around it, meditating… On Lullabys shoulder.

~ShadeShadow


	10. Victory

_Why are my hands purple? Why do my hands smell like grape? I haven't had grapes for like a year… WHY DO THEY TASTE LIKE GRAPE? What did I do?_

* * *

 _Guest, thank you! I'll try and sneak a little NaLu in, but as stated in the description this is gonna be relationship free so you might have to close one eye and squint the other and turn your head just so. Also, Natsu is gonna have to really warm up to everyone._

 _The real narnia, haha, thank you. Yes, welcome to this story. You have Empra to blame for the smarter Natsu. (She's a bit like me, total bookworm. I sorta envision her with horn rimmed red glasses… Huh.) once again, you have Natsu meditating to blame on a certain sparky gold dragon. Ooh, Laxus. I'm looking forward to Laxus. That's gonna be fun writing. Thank you, once again, and happy reading! :)_

 _Enjali, yea, I was kinda toying with the idea. Like, 'should I? No, I really shouldn't… DOING IT'. You'll find the others thoughts are along the lines of 'what the hell is he doing' and 'why the hell is he doing that'._

 _Erza Ashley, ok, uh, let's all calm down here… Aaand she's gone. Alright. That went well._

 _Warmachine375 , well, hopefully I'll be able to work around any reservations, but I'm sorry to say, I'm not caught up with the manga. The last episode I saw was the one that had Natsu melt the Grand Magic Games arena. (I should probably check when more are coming out…). I am planning on diverging more from canon, but I find stories that go too far in that aspect a tad bit.. Ah, how to say it… I find stories that go that way less enjoyable to read. I struggle a bit with keeping what's going on and who's who straight. For example, the story BLAZE. I managed to keep things pretty straight for the first one or two chapters but after that I ended up pretty lost. I imagine it's an excellent story, just not the type I can enjoy. My intentions for this story is to have it be a bit more of a… Character study? No, more character focused. See, this Natsu has trust issues, which will be addressed I more detail in a couple chapters, and I plan on kinda building up to that and then.. Well. We'll see.(Also I don't think it's a good thing for the author to be confused as to what's happening in the story…) Ive also seen the 'Natsu absolutely demolishes Lullaby' story a few times. I think we can agree Lullaby ends up pretty demolished in canon, but as I've said this is more of a character study and I want Natsu to learn he can trust Fairy Tail, and I imagine Lullaby will be instrumental in that. (Eh? Ehhh?) oh, right, another thing, I'm planning on having Natsu being more reserved in showing off his magic, something I hadn't thought of when I wrote the first couple chapters. I'm planning on fixing that in the near future. Once again, his reasoning for that will be revealed in a couple chapters. Ooh, this God Serena guy seems interesting. I'll be looking forward to that. Mm.. Now I kinda want_ _to do something with Natsu training with someone to hone hi- AH-HA! I KNOW WHERE I CAN WORK THAT IN! I see it all so clearly now! Thanks for the idea! It is ok if I use it, yes?_

 _If you'd like, I can work with God Serena, I imagine. I'm already planning on reworking the Daphne arc in such a way, I could try and do the same with God Serena. Granted, I don't exactly know his character or design or motive or anything, just his name.. And that he has eight Dragon Slayer Lacrimas, but other than that.. Hey, I'll do my best and give God Serena a good run. I do indeed like your suggestion, and thank you for the input. Thanks for the fave and follow! :)_

 _Phoenix, I did indeed update! Thank you! Yes the cliffie was an absolute necessity 100% yep. Your wish is my (still slightly delayed) command!_

 _Phoenix(2), ah! Thank you! Good to see people are picking up on the bounty, I was little worried I was being too vague. Ooh, there's a thing I haven't thought of. I may just do that! Well have to wait and see, won't we? Unfortunately, I'm unfamiliar with Avatar, but I may do something where he can heal minor injuries like a scrape on the knee with his Water Dragon Slayer magic. Come to think of it, Whirls personality does kinda hint that she'd be a good healer, doesn't it... Hmm…_

* * *

 _Geez this replying to the review section is getting long… I think I'm gonna have to switch up my formula a little. Anyone who's logged in I'll reply to with a PM and leave this section for the guest reviewers like Erza Ashley and Phoenix, among others._

* * *

" _FIRE DRAGONS ROOOAAAR!"_

The powerful fire attack blasted the demons hand back for a second, and in that second Natsu leapt away, fire spinning around his hands. Erza squinted up at him, before a brief glow covered her and she reemerged in her Black Wing armour.

The sturdy wings flapped, once, twice, and then she joined Natsu in the air, only to find herself used as a springboard as he launched off her shoulders and into Lullaby's face. "Fire Dragons Wing Attack!" Pulling his hands backwards, he built two long whips of flame around them and snapped them around into the demons face.

Lullaby snapped its head back, unwittingly exposing its throat, which the flames burrowed into and ate away at. " **Wretched human!** " One great hand swung upwards- or at least, it would have, if a certain bull hadn't cut away at the connecting vines and branches.

Lullaby screeched. " **Im going to kill you all! All of your souls will be mine, I swear by it!** "

It made a grandiose gesture, like a performer that was making his or her debut, and it's mouth creaked open, "Cover your ears!" "It's no use!" "Tell my plants I love them!" and it made the sound of dozens of cats who's tails had been stepped on while nails were dragged across chalkboard and trees groaned in the wind.

In short, it sounded bad. Really bad.

Lullaby stopped in its 'song', and coughed to clear its throat, only to have ice blasted across its mouth. "There, that should do it!" Gray winced, and covered his ears again.

Everyone's ear were a bit sensitive after being subjected to… That.

Taurus had returned to the spirit world.

Natsu had basically died.

Somewhere far away, a man with spiky black hair was silently suffering as well.

Lullaby was _loud._

But it wasn't deadly.

And that was the important thing.

But there was a slight problem. You see, as Natsu's fire had opened up Lullabys throat and stopped its song, Grays ice had closed those holes. Ergo, if that ice wasn't melted, then Lullaby's death song would play.

Which, as you can probably tell, isn't a good thing.

Lullaby raised its remaining hand, well aware of the mages still launching attacks on its body, and began to beat at the ice covering its mouth. Gray's ice held firm, however, and even as chips and shards rained down, melting as they plummeted through the warm night air, the 'gag' held steady.

Natsu managed to use Erza as a springboard once again, he could almost feel her anger, and landed on Lullabys other shoulder, dashing along the remaining appendage and pulling flames around his fist so they appeared as a great talon.

This, he swung down at Lullaby's wrist, letting the flames eat away at the wood.

With a shriek of rage -that wasn't good the ice must be weakening- Lullaby raised its forearm and swung it down at Natsu, the branches still cut through.

And just as Natsu prepared to spring away- Erza. She blocked the limb with her adamantium armour, the giant shields proving effective. "Erza…" "Keep at it, I'll cover you!" Natsu nodded, determined.

The red haired warrior let half of her shield disappear in favour of a halberd, it's curved axe-like blade glinting cruelly. With a cry of rage, she buried the blade deeply into Lullaby's already damaged wrist.

Lullaby wrenched its arm away, pulling Erza along with it as she refused to let her blade go. Natsu was slightly bewildered by this turn of events, but decided his time would be better spent getting rid of Lullaby's remaining hand rather than attempting to figure out the red-heads thought process.

Surely enough, with a colossal groan, the few unburnt branched began to snap, and Lullaby let out a screech of despair, rapidly pulling its other forearm down, Erza still clinging to her axe which was beginning to pull itself out-

And then the axe was free and it slipped from Erza's grip and with the force that it had been removed from Lullaby's arm it flew straight towards Natsu who was a split second too late in reacting- almost.

He was almost a split second too late.

The axe passed him by the breadth of a hair, and cleaved through Lullaby's arm, passing though the snapping and burning branches down to the few that stubbornly held on, and then it cut through those and continued on its way to the ground.

Essentially, Lullaby finished the job.

And that made Lullaby mad. No, beyond mad. That made Lullaby _furious._

And a furious demon is a demon to be feared beyond all else.

The colossal demon whirled to face Gray, who had just finished making several ice lances that he was arming himself and Lucy with. Lullaby raised one of its stunted arms, and then slammed it down.

A shockwave ripped up air and ground, through ice and sky, but, thankfully, not flesh and bone.

You see, Lullaby is still used to having hands, and now it doesn't have hands, and as such it's attack was toned down.

Even so, it took a lot out of Gray, as he had made a gigantic ice shield to cover himself and Lucy.

Erza flipped and spun around the newly planted arm, using stray branches to propel herself upwards. She had requipped out of her Black Wing armour in favour of the raw power of her Heavens Wheel.

Natsu was doing much the same, except he was flipping himself around Lullaby's torso, using bursts of flames to both burn Lullaby and keep him in the air.

It was just as Lullaby was launching its second rage-filled attack that a certain somewhat forgotten party decided to join in.

You see, while the Guild Masters had been more than willing to watch while the Fairy Tail mages take Lullaby on, there comes a certain point when enough was enough.

And right now, enough was enough.

Lullaby, to put it simply, didn't stand a chance.

To put it in more complicated terms, Lullaby was punched, lit on fire, doused, frozen, thoroughly humiliated, lit on fire again, and put through a very confusing set of circumstances that included but we're not limited to: a dance number, a rabid chicken, a crabby set of newts painted green that were waging war on even crabbier crabs whilst someone's sense of time was being hijacked and shaved.

It was effective, to say the least.

As what had been Lullaby vanished, Natsu, Erza, Gray, and Lucy stopped to catch their breath. It had certainly been an arduous fight, Makarov even felt a little out of breath just looking at it.

* * *

After that fiasco, Kageyama was sent for five years in prison. His sentence had been drastically reduced by his actions with Lullaby, namely, his refusal to play it.

The Guild Masters and Guild Members managed to get back to their respective Guilds quite smoothly, though Bob, the Master of Blue Pegasus insisted on seeing Gray again sometime.

All in all, things had calmed down again.

But then the magic council showed up.

* * *

 _Most people seem to complain about writing fight scenes. I, personally, really enjoyed it. It's a great way for me to flex my writing muscle, me thinks. Makes me wonder if I could write a Quiddich(?) match, since a lot of people seem to have trouble with those too… (even J.K. Rowling)_

 _I should really get a Beta reader sometime. Hmm._

 _Anyway, back to panicking over the fifteen assignments I have due on Monday._ ~ShadeShadow

 _(Completely forgot to mention this but there's a reference to ChangelingRins Dimensional Links in here. Anyone who can spot it, eyyy)_


	11. Prison Break

_I have been having so much trouble with Mandarin Oranges lately. I'll peel one, split it in half, eat one half, and poof! The other half will be gone. Just like that. I feel like I'm going to be attacked by a swarm of rogue Mandarin halves sometime._

* * *

 _Phoenix, more you shall have! Natsu may or may not be in trouble. Maybe. Maaaybe. I'm dying to write the Phantom Lord arc, honestly. This God Serena guy interests me more and more at every turn. Ooh, a different twist with Zeref? I never even thought of that. Hmm… Now how could I go about that… I guess you'll have to wait and see!_

* * *

It was in the middle of a guild-wide brawl that the frog messenger arrived. He pushed the door open with one webbed hand, opened his mouth, prepared to deliver the message he had been assigned, and he was promptly bowled over by Elfman.

The big, burly man rubbed the back of his head, and helped the frog to his feet, and then launched himself back into the guild with a cry of "COME AND FACE ME LIKE A MAN!"

This did confuse the frog somewhat, but confusion mattered little in the grand scheme of things, or rather, in the grand scheme of the magic counsel.

Trying again, he managed to get a couple words out this time. "I have an important message from the ma-"

But as he was speaking a barrel of ale was chucked through the doors, and it rolled madly away, caring little for the frog it had flattened.

Now quite beat up looking, he pried the doors open one last time, for they had swung shut, and as he began to deliver his message for the third time, a hand grasped the back of his robes and lifted him into the air.

* * *

"Hey, who's frog is this?" Lucy turned to see Gray, who had a humanoid frog lifted into the air by the back of its robes.

She was vaguely aware of Natsu on her other side, the two were sitting at the one table that had managed to remain in place, which was probably largely in part to the slice of strawberry cake that promised death by Erza if it was touched.

"Gray, isn't that a messenger?" Gray looked at the little frog in his grasp, and gave it a brief shake, much to its protest.

"Well, who's it a messenger from?" Lucy suppressed a groan. "Maybe if you asked it?"

Gray looked somewhat shocked. "You mean this thing can talk?"

"How rude! I'm not a 'thing', I'm a messenger from the magic council!"

It was almost as if a switch had been flipped.

One moment Fairy Tail was in all of its rowdy glory, and the next people were sitting civilly at tables, chatting over foaming mugs of beer and taking jobs. It was impressive.

Even if half of them were sitting on either air or a pile of splinters because their seats had been smashed.

"Er… My message goes to Ashley, Lucy, Dragneel, Natsu, Fullbuster, Gray, and Scarlet, Erza. If these members could please step forward?" There was a gentle murmur, and a rustle of clothing, and then two people stepped forward, and a slice on cake was gently placed.

Lucy shifted, uncomfortable with the scrutiny the amphibian was providing her with. Gray simply pulled his shirt off, blinked, and then pulled it back on.

The cake sat pristine.

Or, at least it did for a second before Erza made her way to the front of the crowd from her meeting with the Master.

Lucy turned, as the frogs attention had been redirected to the red headed warrior, and scanned the crowd for Natsu, as he had been right by her shoulder.

No sign of pink in the crowd- except for Mira's dress… And the hair-clip she had attached to Elfman's wild hair.

It was butterfly shaped.

And sparkly.

"Ahem. Would Dragneel, Natsu please come forward?" The little frog scratched the back of his head, the best he could with his frog hands. "I… Suppose the three of you will have to do."

Erza placed the now pristine plate on a nearby table, and laid her cleaned fork on top of it. "What does the magic council need us for?"

The frog harrumphed. "I don't see why you need to know. Follow me, please."

"Hold up, hold up, we're the ones going, I think it's pretty obvious why we need to know!" Gray then looked down and pulled his pants back on.

The frog gave a frustrated growl which was more ribbit that anything, and whirled back on them. "Alright, fine! You're all under arrest! Now come along!"

Ultimately, they decided complying with the possibly insane frog was the best idea.

* * *

When they stepped into the magic councils judgement room, it really sunk in. They were under arrest, or at least, if they didn't testify properly, they would be.

Unknown to them, a man with slicked back blonde hair snarled and stomped out a side door.

"Lucy Ashley, Gray Fullbuster, and Erza Scarlet. You are under arrest for aiding in the destruction of a town, and for hiding a… Where is Natsu Dragneel?" The wizened old man in the middle, on the highest podium, let his eyes rove over them once more, and then turned to the frog that had led them there.

"Why is Natsu Dragneel not among these young wizards?" The frog bowed deeply, only just restraining from going fully prostate on the floor.

"I am sorry, my lord, but Natsu Dragneel was not at the guild."

"Sir, if I may?" Erza stepped forward, voice firm and gaze steady. "Why was Natsu not accused of the destruction of the town as well?"

The elderly wizard slammed his gavel on the wooden surface of his podium, and harrumphed. "Natsu Dragneel has been called to court for evading authorities, joining a guild without his guardians consent, leaving his guardian, evading arrest, and causing several destroyed towns and murdered families."

* * *

The cell was cold, and damp. Lucy was huddled in a corner, her knees tucked to her chin and her hands clasped across her shins.

Erza stood by the cell door, tall and proud and watching for any activity.

Gray was clenching his fist, and then unclenching it, and frost was slowly creeping away from him across the rough ground. "I can't believe him. He comes into our guild and uses us as a shield to hide from the fact that he killed people. _Families._ "

Lucy curled up tighter. Erzas shoulders stiffened. "We should not assume he killed them. The councilman did say he was the cause of the killings, but not that he was the one to do the deed."

"Yea, well, it still sounds pretty horrid to me." Erza didn't have a response to that.

"Hey. Guys." Collectively, they started, and Erza cursed herself for letting her guard down. "I need you to listen. They're planning on leaving you in here for far longer than they said they would."

There was a rough intake of breath, and then Gray snapped. "Natsu? What do you want? Why are you here?"

"Keep it down! I'm trying to help." Lucy raised her head and scanned the cage for where his voice could be coming from, but there was no sign of any outside disturbance, and nothing but the continual dripping of water from inside.

"Oh yeah? Trying to help, eh? Like you helped those families?" Gray had venom in his voice as he bit out the last part.

"I…" The voice went quiet for a moment. "I didn't kill anyone."

And then there was a tugging sensation, and the feeling of having something slip through your body, like you were a puddle of water and someone kicked a pebble in, and then they were outside.

"Sorry, I had to turn your bodies into water for a second to pull you out. I even managed to take your clothes… Just give me a moment and then I can get water clones of you in there. You'll have to lie low for a month or two through." Natsu was to the left of them, crouched low with his hands braced on his knees.

Before Gray could snap at him again, or Erza could reprimand him for pulling them out, he squeezed his eyes shut and the ground beneath them shifted, growing dryer as water pooled around their feet. Then, it surged away and began to take form, ending with translucent versions of them, completely identical down to the last detail.

Then Natsu requipped a handful of paints, and started dabbing them on, letting the water soak up the colour and spread it where it needed to be spread. Then, the watery replicas sank into the earth.

And Gray grabbed Natsu by the collar. "What the hell, man! You killed families! When were you planning on telling us this, or where we just next on you list? If so, you gotta be outta your damn mind."

"Gray. That's enough. If Natsu truly wanted to kill us, he has had plenty of opportunities, such as with Lullaby and just now, when we were in prison." Then, Erza turned to Natsu, who had been let down by Gray- just in time to catch him as he collapsed.

* * *

 _Extra_

"Sorry, I had to turn your bodies into water for a second to pull you out. I even managed to take your clothes… Just give me a moment and then I can get water clones of you in there. You'll have to lie low for a month or two through." Natsu was to the left of them, crouched low with his hands braced on his knees.

"Not that I'm not grateful or anything, but... why do I have two left hands?" Gray held up aforementioned hands, and surely enough both of them were left.

"I think that a the least of your problems..." Lucy's head on Erza's body stated, noting Gray had a fist sticking out of his forehead. It was almost more concerning that no one knew who's fist it was.

Erza's-head-on-Lucy's-body shifted, making sure to hold her arm straight. "I think I have a pretty big problem too... maybe more than one."

Because, on the end of that arm was Erza's head, a leg was sticking out of where the head would normally, one of Grans hands was taking the place of the other arm, and the legs were swapped.

Natsu took a long hard look at them, and then burst out laughing. "Oops."

* * *

 _Ibuprofen smells weird. ~_ ShadeShadow


	12. Resort Time

_Ooh, there seems to be a whole lotta confusion after the last chapter. Perfect. Don't worry, dear readers, everything will be explained in due time, I'm sure._

* * *

 _Pheonix, people died! And hey, you're the first person to pick up on Mr J(R)ude Heartfilia. So... Watch all of the openings? Got it. Yes fatherly Gildarts and DadMight are like my favourite things have no fear. There will be plenty of fatherly Gildarts. I'm still toying with your suggestion, you know, how it would work into the story and what character dynamic would change? I mean this whole thing that's going on right now started on the drop of a dime, so who knows what'll change? I, personally, I'm really hyped for writing the Grand Magic Games, it's my personal favourite arc. (This fic was originally gonna be a surprise! Natsu has all these crazy powers all of a sudden in the middle of the Tenroujima S-Class trials!) yeh yeh yeh, I've started reading the manga and he's been in like five panels and I like God Serena already. I do have a time slotted for him though, provided things work out. so... Is this too late? Or has Thursday already come and gone? :) oh dear I've done the cliffie again haven't I? Whoops._

* * *

"I don't trust him."

Lucy glanced awkwardly off to the side. "I'd like to, but… If what the magic council says is true…"

Gray slammed his fists down, causing Makarov to jump. "THAT'S WHY I DON'T TRUST HIM, HE'S HAD PEOPLE KILLED."

They were situated in Makarovs office, away from prying eyes. Natsu was slumped in one of the seats, still exhausted from what he had done with his magic. Lucy took another seat, though well away from the Dragon Slayer. Erza was standing closer to Natsu, if only to keep her guild mates safe.

And Gray was across from Makarov, fists still resting on his desk and frost gradually creeping over papers.

"We can't jump to conclusions, at least not now. He did pull you out of that prison the magic council would have left you to rot in." Makarov reached over the table, and gently removed Grays clenched fists. Then, he regarded the slightly damp paperwork with a disapproving eye.

"Besides, he isn't yet awake to justify himself. That will come later. For now, you need to lie low, and I've managed to secure tickets for a large resort, so long as you don't do anything over the top and keep your guild marks hidden, you should be able to blend in for a month or two." Opening a drawer, he rummaged around as he spoke, and finally pulled out four tickets.

"You can't be serious! You're gonna leave us with this guy?" Gray was not having any of this, blatantly refusing Makarovs attempt at peace-keeping.

Makarovs face darkened. "I am aware of your grievances, Gray, but Natsu is still a guild member and he will be treated as so. However," and here, Makarov sighed heavily. "I do find it hard to prove Natsu innocent, and as much as it pains me I'll be placing a spell on him to prevent him from using his magic. Erza, I'll teach you how to cancel the spell if things go wrong, but I'm hoping nothing will."

Gray grimaced, and turned to leave when Erza spoke up. "Gray, need I remind you that neither your nor my hands are as clean as you would like to believe?"

Gray paused in his strides, a moment of hesitation, and then he pushed onwards.

* * *

The resort was surprisingly beautiful, for how out of the way it was. With a beach at its front and mountains at its back, it boasted roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, food stands, a large hotel, and two casinos.

Erza shifted the Dragon Slayer in her grasp. While he had woken a few hours previously, they had been in a magic mobile, this one actually paid to take pity on the suffering teen, she had knocked him out almost immediately after his awakening.

"I'll take Natsu to his room, and I'll accompany once he wakes. Lucy, Gray… Don't cause trouble."

"Y-yes ma'am."

* * *

Natsu jolted awake with the innate sense that something was wrong, that something had been wrong for a little while.

"You're awake." Erza was seated in one of the plush chairs provided, a open book propped in her lap. With a small glow, the book vanished, and the warrior stretched.

"We're going to be staying at this resort for a little while. Keep your guild mark covered, and don't cause any big messes and we should be fine."

Natsu pressed a palm to his eyes, and then groaned. "What…"

And it hit him like a bolt of lightning. White knuckles burrowed into bedsheets, and he was faintly aware of someone calling his name - _redscarletErza_ \- but it didn't matter because his magic was - _wrongwrongwrong_ -

His magic was completely blocked off from him, and suddenly he was back in a manor with shackles around his wrists and-

Someone was shaking him. "Natsu!"

Natsu, that was his name, wasn't it? Natsu… Hear… No, Natsu Dragneel.

His name was Natsu Dragneel, and his magic was completely blocked off from him.

Oh, oh God.

* * *

Lucy squinted at the cards in her hand, and then studied her opponents face. He gave away nothing, nothing but a cool calm. Cautiously, she began her turn. "Do you have… A five?"

A small, pleasant smile, and "go fish."

"Damn it!" Angrily, she grabbed a card from the pile, only to find it was the card she needed. "Oh."

And then the lights died. The pale man she had been playing with took a hasty bow, and strode off to find the source of the problem.

A tanned younger man slid into his seat, and proffered Lucy a hand. As she took it, what had been a pleasant smile turned menacing, and his grasp tightened. "Where's sis? Where is Erza Scarlet?"

* * *

Gray leaned back against the bar, well aware that most of the games in the casino were rigged. Scanning the room, only one person really caught his eye, a gloomy looking young woman with blue hair, which curled into perfect rings at the ends.

She seemed to make eye contact, and immediately a fierce blush spread across her features.

Gray looked away, only to find a taller man with a steel jaw had crept up on him. "Do you know Erza Scarlet?"

"Cra-" and everything went dark.

* * *

 _Yes, I'm perfectly aware of where we're supposed to be, but I thought tackling the Tower of Heaven first would be fun. Just to be clear with people, I've changed around some of the earlier chapters, mainly to fit Natsu's current character on more smoothly. To be completely honest, I was planning on tackling things in a more canon route, but Phoenix left a review that was like 'magic council eh? I sense Natsu's in trouble!' And this sparked in my mind and here we are. Next chapter will probably be longer. (I jokingly titled a review response Ah HAHAHAHA, but before I could delete it my iPad glitched out and it sent. My soul pretty much exited my body. Warmachine375 I am so sorry) ~_ ShadeShadow


	13. Ice to see you too

_Happy Canada day! (So what if I'm late a day I was spending time with my family)_

* * *

 _Guest(1), yes, well,you are not mistaken, that was in chapter two previously, but I decided to edit that out. You see, I didn't really have Natsu's character down, or, at least, the Natsu in this universe down. And that was out of character moment for him, and since this is a more character driven story I'm tryin real hard to keep him in character, see?_

 _Phoenix(1), haha, well what else could I do? The best person on this site asked me to update before Thursday after all. Tower of Heaven is happening! Juvia Juvia Juvia. I'm going to have fun with Juvia. Especially since the Phantom Lord arc hasn't happened yet. Or will the council fire etherion at all? We'll probably see Natsu living with Jude after Phantom Lord, but I'm in a bit of a devil may care mood right now, so who knows? Ashes Remain, On My Own? I'll have to give that a listen. I'm dying to type this chapter, honestly. (Summer time, yes. Now I can write more! And more! And More!)_

 _Guest(2), well, I'd typically capitalize it, but I don't want to paint Natsu in a religious light. But hey, you know what, I'll go back and do that. :)_

 _Phoenix(2), yea, I'd love to add that at the moment because I'm starting to think Natsu needs a hug. Oh, you read Dragon Tail? Aw, now I'm kinda embarrassed, you're too kind. Honestly. Yea, I'm Kinda figuring out_ _the Dragon Force right now. Like is it gonna be all five elements, or less than that, or is it just gonna be one based off what day it is? Hmm._

 _Phoenix(3), Happy Canada Daaayyy! (Bri-tish Co-lum-bi-a!)_

* * *

Erza, despite the heavy glare directed at her, didn't shift or fidget in her seat. What she did do was glare right back. "I am well aware of your grievances with your situation, but until we can be sure that you're innocent, we'll have to keep your magic sealed."

Natsu let up on the glaring a little, and suddenly he looked tired. Exhausted. "It wasn't me who killed them. I can promise you that."

Erza, in turn, lessened her glare. "I would like to believe you, Natsu, but the magic council…"

"Because they've been so dependable. Listen, it wasn't me, it was-" and the ceiling crumbled. Dropping down from it was a group of people, and before either Fairy Tail Mage could react the sole girl in the group had a rope around Erza, and Natsu vanished in a flash of light. A lone card fluttered to the floor, which was picked up by a rather… square… man.

"What is the meaning of this?" Erza pushed against the rope, but much to her dismay, it held fast. It also completely cut her off from her magic, and as such, her hammer space.

"Oh sister, we thought we'd come and visit! Don't you recognize us?" The blond haired man grinned dangerously, and pocketed the card the cubed man handed to him, keeping the face of it firmly away from the requip Mage.

"Sh-Sho?" Erza whirled in her bonds, her horrified gaze flying to each of them. "Wally? Simon? Milliana?"

Wally twirled a gun around his finger. "Oh, so you do recognize us?"

Simon averted his gaze, and Milliana held her hands near her face like a cat would its paws. "You should come visit more often Erzy!"

* * *

Gray peeled himself away from the smashed bar, letting rubble crumble away from him. His ice clone was dripping onto the floor.

 _Drip._

The room was completely deserted, which was understandable considering the attack that had taken place minutes before.

 _Drip._

That guy was after Erza, wasn't he?

 _Drip._

It was unlikely he had managed to find her, the red head was surprisingly good at blending into crowds. But the. Again, she had been with Natsu, and who knows who that guy was working with.

 _Drip._

Then again, maybe Gray was being a little unfair in his judgement of the gu-

 _Drop._

Someone else was here. Pulling himself to his feet, Gray let his magic flow around his hands. "Whoever you are, I know you're here!"

"Always so eager for a fight, weren't you Gray."

"Lyon?"

A ice tiger flew towards Gray, its claws perfectly poised for ripping him to pieces.

"Water Slicer!"

* * *

Lucy groaned. Being stuck in a card was far less exciting than it seemed it should be. It was just… White. Aside from the small square of space that let her view the real world. However, the ceiling proved to be quite boring after spending an extended amount of time staring at it. (It had 47 tiles that she could see.)

She had tried summoning her spirits, but to her annoyance the keys refused to work.

Then again, Tyring a third time wouldn't hurt, would it? "Open, gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"

Nothing.

Lucy groaned again.

* * *

 _So me, my mom, and my dad ended up going to this really sweet old ladies house for Canada day dinner, because her husband passed away recently and she accidentally made far too much. The main course was alright, though a little bland. But the desert. Oh God, the desert. You guys know cheesecake, right? Well she made cheesecake but she forgot to add sugar. Bleck. I kinda felt bad for her though, cause it seemed like she really tried hard on it… And then the second desert. It was this chocolate/coconut pudding. So she insisted everyone try some, and once we all ate a little she started sharing detail on how she made it, and we learned the coconut milk she used was so rock hard she had to put it in the over for an hour to get it to soften. Because it was three years old. Thankfully I had really strong mint gum in my purse and I was able to sneak my mom and dad pieces while she was looking away._

 _Oh yea… I did say this chapter was gonna be longer, didn't I? Whoops. But hey, at least a lot of stuff happened._ ~ShadeShadow


	14. Heaven

_HOLY WHAT. WHAT. WHAAT. 99 FOLLOWERS. WHAT IN THE EVER LOVING-_

 _You guys are too good to me. Really. Thank you all!_

* * *

 _Phoenix, LYON! Perhaps. Yea, Natsu's got first class seating. Ooh, that's something I haven't thought of. Thanks for bringing that up, I'll have to put some thought into that… I have seen the sacrifice Natsu instead of Erza plot line several times… They typically end up with shipping NaZa. Though, I always thought Jellal was referring to Natsu when he said he had other sacrifices in the tower… well, this chapter was dated for July 4_ _th_ _but if you insist…_

 _Guest, more!_

 _Erza Ashley, no need to worry. I certainly don't expect my writing to be on the top of anyone's priority list, and most of the time I should be working on this I'm reading either His Majesty's Dragon (good book, recommend it) or reading fanfiction, so its completely understandable! I haven't completely caught up on the manga yet, where I left off Natsu was like 'my right arm is my special weapon to kill Zeref!' And everyone was like 'ooooooo'_

* * *

"Then there was a tremendous roaring above them: the ground shuddered, branches tumbling down in a rain of dry leaves and pine needles, and an immense old tree was wrenched whole out of the ground beside them: Temeraire was above them, wings beating wildly as he tore away the cover." Natsu bounced wildly, almost falling over before scrambling over Empra's wing and up to her back.

"What happens next?" Empra chuckled softly, and the worn old book she gingerly held between two talons closed.

"We'll just have to find out next time."

"What! No, I wanna find out more!" Natsu clambered up to Empra's head, and stuck his face in front of one of her eyes. "Please can you read more?"

Empra gently shook her head, careful not to dislodge the young boy. Natsu pouted, but climbed down from her head, careful to avoid the many books and scrolls littering the cave floor.

"Empra…"

After setting the book she had been reading down, the lightening Dragoness turned to Natsu. "Yes?"

"Why don't I have a family? Like… Like the people in the books you read to me."

That gave her pause. They had taken Natsu in perhaps a year or two before, and she had wasted no time educating him with proper reading… Until they ended up reading fantasy novels together.

And, thinking back on it, once they had begun to do so she began thinking of Natsu as her son. She was almost certain the others shared her sentiment, in fact she was positive Igneel had felt that way about the boy since they found him, yet…

"You do, Little Bookworm. Perhaps you just don't realize it yet."

"Gah, are you being mushy? I'll just leave then."

"K-Kyu! What are you doing in my cave?!"

"It's my turn to train the brat, remember? Today i-"

"You… YOU'RE SITTING ON ONE OF MY BOOKS! OUT!"

* * *

Natsu jolted awake with a start, snapping out of the dream world into what had become his, a blank white space, with a single viewport into the real world.

Namely, someone's pocket.

How exciting.

… Was that Erza's voice?

Yes, it was, but who was she talking to?

Wait, if he was hearing Erza and he was still in someone's coat pocket, they must have gotten her as well. Damn.

Whoever they was.

"We're bringing you back to the Tower, sis."

Erza had a brother?

Was he the one behind this, then, or was it someone else?

More importantly, was someone quoting a really bad Wild West movie?

* * *

"Ice Make: Geyser!" A mountain of ice sprung up from the now frozen floor, clipping a large ice bear. The bear shattered in tandem with another ice tiger, the woman who cast the first spell to take an icy animal down continuing in her efforts.

"Ice Make: Shield." A whirling half fan of ice spun around them, blocking off any further assaults.

Gray wiped a hand across his forehead, before taking the handkerchief offered to him. "Thanks… you really don't have to do this you know."

"Juvia knows. But Juvia wants to."

"Right. Uh, my name is Gray."

"Juvia's name is Juvia."

"I gathered that."

And then a ice dragon crashed though the shield, plunging them into battle once more.

* * *

On second thought, the ceiling was far better. It certainly beat the bottom of a rats foot.

A rat in a maid outfit.

A ugly rat in a maid outfit.

This day just kept on getting better, didn't it?

* * *

The Tower of Heaven was close to completion, far closer than any half baked plan the magic council would come up with to stop it. If the pathetic fools knew anything of it, even.

Jellal leaned back in his seat, comfortable in the thrum of magic surrounding him. "Soon, Zeref."

He lingered in the comfort for perhaps a moment longer than he should have, and then he pulled himself free and drummed his fingers on a Lacrima, showing him the progress that had been made on the sacrifices capture.

They were almost here, excellent.

Time to call them back, then. Lyon would be angry, but Jellal still had Deloria in the tower, so the ice make Mage would have to listen. And if he listened, so did his pathetic little underlings.

Truly, finding Deloria under some unremarkable island was a stroke of luck.

Though, the demons littering the island were truly disgraces to his master, Zeref. He would have done them in, but that would have called too much attention, and Jellal was keeping so many secrets.

Such a _shame._

Then, he pulled himself to a stand, and with his arms folded behind his back he checked in on 'Seigrain.'

The magic council truly were such a boring lot. He was almost grateful to Fairy Tail, they kept his sacrifice safe, and truly livened the world up a little.

But he should not care for such materialistic things, Zeref did not.

Zeref did not really care for much, thinking about it.

Oh, but he was such a lowly worm! Who was he to think of his lord outside of reverence. No one! He was no one!

Jellal turned on his heel, and marched back through the tower.

Right now, he had a sacrifice to greet.

* * *

 _Ooh, writing Jellal was unexpectedly fun. I'm working on a different story at the moment too, one I probably won't post but there's an insane person in it and I had fun writing her too. Why am I having fun writing insane people… Oh, yea, in this chapter I used a passage from the book 'His Majesty's Dragon', the first book in the Temeraire series. I don't own the book. Or Temeraire. How do you even say that, anyway? Teh-meh-rare? Teh-mey-rawr?_ ~ShadeShadow


	15. Manipulation

_Aaaand we've reached 100 followers! I'll not give any shout outs, because each and everyone of you helped me get to this point. And for that I'm super thankful to each and everyone of you._

* * *

 _Phoenix, Jellals got leverage, so Jellal is gonna use that leverage. Although, he may have leverage in a different way than you think… They might have inside help, but Juvia strikes me as someone who's pretty loyal… yea, I was kinda gunning for the family dynamic, but I didn't really lay out places for each dragon. (Except Igneel. Igneel is the dad, and that's that. Dadneel?) oh hoho! I have got something big planned for the Ice Dragon Slayer Magic! It's gonna be a real game changer. Maybe. Who knows how things'll go? Not me! Ah, let's not put the show on the road, it might be hit by a car. You gotta have proper road safety, yanno? At least look both ways first._

 _Guest, well I was thinking of skipping right ahead to sixteen, but then I realized I didn't like sixteen too much, so I thought about it for a bit and I was gonna go straight to 24 because that's my favourite number, but if you insist, fifteen chapters it is! So you challenge me to do it in seven hours seven minutes seven seconds, but also to get it done as soon as possible, eh? I typically write a chapter in a bout an hour or so, so seven hours would be a real challenge, I might just take you up on that when I'm more experienced._

* * *

The last ice ape shattered, and Gray sank back onto a pile of ice shards, letting them hold his weight as he regained his breath.

"Juvia is glad the attack stopped." Juvia pulled herself out of a nearby puddle, though she remained standing instead of slouching back.

"Yeah, but I'm a little worried as to what's coming next. He wouldn't stop attacking for no reason… Unless-" and then it dawned on him, they had been after Erza, and if Lyon had stopped attacking then…

Juvia, while not fully understanding Grays sudden taking off like a bat out of hell, joined him, and together they raced from the casino to the hotel, past a rather flustered receptionist, and up several flights of stairs, and into a ruined hotel room.

"Dammit!" Gray kicked a loose bit of ceiling, watching in grim satisfaction as it froze over.

"Juvia wants to know what's wrong." The water mage had let her bottom half dissolve into water to propel herself easier, but now she let her legs slip back into being, and she placed hand on Gray's shoulder.

"Those damn bastards took my friend." He crouched down, and picked up a now-dusty book. Ice quickly spread across its pages.

"Juvia might know where your friend is…"

* * *

Jellal smiled grimly. Here were his little pawns now, with the great Titania bound by rope. He didn't let them see him, oh no, that was reserved for when _that_ was done, but that didn't stop him from enjoying himself.

Truly, the look of despair on her face was something he'd treasure.

The blond pawn, he'd never really bothered to know his name, broke off from the group, and no one even faltered in their strides. _Perfect._

Neither did the blond one falter as Jellal appeared in front of him. "Have you completed your mission, Shu?" Oh, look at that. He did know his name.

"Yes sir." The blond pawn reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, handing it off rather smoothly. Jellal never really cared for names. Except Zeref. And… Scarlet? No, Zeref was the only name the blue haired pawn deigned to know.

When Jellal returned to observing the other group, he was disappointed. The sacrifice had escaped. How… Boring. She was in no place to deny him, surely when it was _that_ time she'd make her way to him.

So, why not make it interesting? With a flick of his wrist, he let his magic push his new pawn out. The pawn was, of course, disoriented, and so Jellal took that opportunity to begin his, oh, what was the word? Monologue?

But then he paused. Who was he to explain his masters plans? No, Lord Zeref deserved the honour of explaining his genius plans.

Oh, the pink haired pawn was standing now. Jellal smirked.

* * *

Natsu wasn't exactly sure that being on top of a tower with a presumed mad-man was much of an improvement over the card. Shaking the disorientation that comes from going from 2D to 3D off, Natsu pulled himself to his feet, and adopted a fighting stance.

The mad-man smirked.

Not a good sign.

"I think you'll want to co-operate with me."

"Oh yea? Why's that?"

The man began moving slowly, as if he was sizing Natsu up. "You wouldn't want your little Fairy-Friends to find out about _that_ , would you?"

Natsu turned to follow him, keeping his fists raised. "Find out about what?"

The man sighed. "Is it so hard to comprehend? You helped fund this tower, or at least your father did." He paused to catch Natsu's fist. "Ah ah ah, that's no way to treat me."

Natsu growled. "Like hell it isn't. I couldn't give less of a damn if you told them, I'm not responsible for _his_ actions."

"Oh? Well, I suppose you wouldn't know." He jumped over Natsu's attempted kick, keeping his grip on his fist firm, before landing and pulling Natsu over his shoulder and onto the ground. "The great Erza Scarlet was a slave in this tower."

Natsu grunted, but rolled away from Jellal and the fist he had planted where Natsu's face had been. "And how do I know you're not lying to get under my skin?"

Jellal sighed. "I suppose you're not going to co-operate easily then."

And then he disappeared in a whoosh of air, letting one of his spells move him faster than the human eye could follow. Natsu recoiled, feeling a light breeze brush past his neck-

His scarf was gone. Frantically, Natsu groped for it, and found that the necklace from Kyu was gone, and the arm band from Whirl and the ring from Grotee were gone too. The only thing he had left was the book from Empra, and even that was out of his reach.

The blue haired man held up the precious objects, and watched the horror grow on Natsu's face. "Now, I think you'll find you have to co-operate." He held up the ring between two fingers, and flicked it up before catching it again. "Or else."

* * *

The rat was flying now. It had already pretty much been established in her mind that this rat was not a normal rat (the inflated size and maid costume gave it away), but not quite to this extent.

Lucy shifted in her card, grateful for once that she was stuck in it.

As things in the world typically seem to go, namely karma, bad timing, and bad luck, it was at that very moment that the enchantment on the card wore off.

Lucy flailed wildly for a moment, before fighting off nausea and clinging to what she could reach.

Clinging to a giant rats foot as it flew to a tower in the middle of the ocean had to be something for the history books.

* * *

Erza ducked down an all-too-familiar hallway, past a couple of guards who seemed to be drunk out of their minds. She was half tempted to join them.

She paused at another familiar corner, and surveyed a small niche in it. She remember hiding in there to take small breaks when the work grew too hard. Shaking off the memory, she turned to move down a slightly less familiar hallway, only to have to dodge backwards as a fist flew at her face.

"Natsu!"

* * *

 _sore throats are the bane of my existence. Oh yea, the poll results are in, and it's three to one, there will be original arcs in this. I'll mark each arc with an OA in front of a chapter title, so if you don't want to read the original arcs you can skip right over them. I also might not end up doing original arcs after all, it really just depends on if I can think of any that would be a good inclusion._ ~ShadeShadow


	16. Traitor

_**The bottom half of last chapter was cut off. Please go back and read that before reading this.**_

* * *

 _Phoenix, glad to hear it. I think you'll find out what Natsu has to do soon enough… as soon as magically possible, eh? Well, I sure think this is ASAMP. Yeah, don't forget the safety._

* * *

Natsu jerked away, dancing from surface to surface to avoid the furious Erza's blades. Erza, for her part, let her rage darken her features, and let her Heavens Wheel armour cover her.

Natsu took the opportunity that armour presented, planting a fist into her bared stomach with far less force than he would have had she been an enemy. An actually enemy.

Erza gasped, losing her breath for a moment before slashing wildly with her swords, barely missing his arm.

"I trusted you!"

"I'm sorry."

The Black Wing armour took form, and Erza utilized it well, striking hard and fast before swapping to Heavens Wheel once again.

Natsu scrambled backwards, and instinctively reached for his Dragon Slayer magic, before the spell Makarov placed on him cut him off once more.

Gritting his teeth, he admitted defeat and turned to run, all too aware of Erza's rage.

It was just as well that Gray and Lucy weren't there.

* * *

Gray, for his part, was underwater. Halfway across an ocean. With a possible lunatic.

Juvia tugged him along, her water magic swaying the powerful underwater currents into pushing them along, their destination ever closer.

She pointed out the base of the tower to Gray, and then let him propel himself now he had a destination in mind. He wasn't in tune with water like her, and the last time she had tried to let him propel himself he started off in completely the wrong direction.

So she dragged him.

She didn't have much longer to reflect on that, as now that she no longer had an ice Mage weighing her down they were both moving at far greater speeds, and the Tower of Heaven was finally in front of them.

While attempting to break into the tower from above ground level would be next to impossible, the underwater levels of the tower were far easier to infiltrate. After all, it wasn't expected that someone could hold their breath long enough to get through.

* * *

Lucy scuttled into the closest hallway, away from any flying giant maid rats that may inhabit the place.

They had set down on a platform close to the top of the tower, and Lucy had used the moments between flight and landing to drop away from the rat and onto semi-solid ground.

So now she was in an unfamiliar tower, likely far away from anyone she knew, and, well, not completely helpless, she did have her keys after all, but scared out of her mind.

Clutching Taurus's Key, she began moving down the narrow hallway, mindful of open doors and blind corners.

* * *

Jellal was laughing. The great Titantia was furious at her friend! She looked just about ready to serve his head on a platter! He supposed some things never change, and Scarlet was still a traitor to her friends.

Oh no wait, that was his fault. All of this was his fault, really.

That just made it funnier.

So he laughed.

Alright, he was tired of laughing now. Sitting up, he held up the scarf the pink haired pawn held so dearly.

It smelt burnt. He wrinkled his nose.

Then, another one of the object caught his attention. The arm band looked just like water. It moved like water too, and Jellal could almost swear his finger came away wet from touching it- it was fascinating.

Then he dropped the band, and scrambled away. No! He shouldn't care for such materialistic things!

Regaining his composure, he dusted off his cloak and checked on Seigrain.

Still nothing interesting. The magic council was _so_ boring.

With that in mind, he decided it was time to draw attention to his creation. He created another thought projection, shaping to one to one of those nasty frogs the magic council used for message delivery, and had it deliver a 'message' to Seigrain.

Let the games begin.

* * *

Natsu ducked into another room, this one covered in things from the Wild West. He had lost Erza a while ago, but figured he might as well play it safe, so he kept moving.

He had no doubts Jellal, as he found his name was, would hold to his promise and destroy his precious things.

It rankled that there was nothing he could do to stop it, especially considering not even Jellal was strong enough to get rid of Makarovs spell. Perhaps if he had been, Natsu would have been able to regain his things and hide them away in his requip space.

But now he'd have to ruin more bonds.

* * *

Erza took in the damaged hallway they had fought in, and let despair wash over her. Despite how short of a time she had known him, she had begun to feel a connection to Natsu, almost like brother and sister, but now…

There had been something off about him, he had seemed distracted. Not to mention, the few objects he had decorated himself with were gone.

She traced a cut in the wall, from where he had pushed her blade away. It almost looked like a 'P'.

And that cut up there looked like an 'H'.

And there was another inbetween shaped like an 'E'. Well that was being generous, it was really more of a 'C' with a line through it, but…

Erza tilted her head. The messy scrawl stared back at her.

'HelP'

* * *

Gray dug his fingernails into his palm, and pounded his fist on the wall. Juvia looked concerned, but didn't try to talk to him.

"What… The hell… Is Deloria doing _here_!"

* * *

 _**Jazz hands_ **~ShadeShadow


	17. Etherion

_I reorganized my bookshelves and my room is a whole lot nicer now._

* * *

 _Guest(1), chapter sixteen has been fired away! Hey, I'd like to update everyday but I've got a whole bunch of kiddos staying at my house, and the eldest of them is five. They're very attention demanding. You're welcome!_

 _Erza Ashley, birbs :) well, considering you posted your review on chapter 14 I'm lead to believe that's the chapter you just read. Hey, I forget things a lot too. Yea, I got caught up with the manga inbetween updates, so no spoilers for me! (I GOT A WHOLE HALF HOUR OF SLEEP LAST NIGHT IM RARING TO GO) I imagine that things will be quite different when I get to it…_

 _Guest(2), B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O and BINGO was his name-o! That's gonna be stuck in my head for a long time now, isn't it? Before seven? Challenge accepted. (Aaaaand challenge failed. I'm so sorry, but to make up for it, here's the longest chapter I've ever written for anything, ever. :)Let's not have team Natsu cry, yes? Twenty-Four is mine! There was an author who had a story, and The Five Dragons was its name-o! The-Five-Dra-agons, The-Five-Dra-agons, The-Five-Dra-agons, and Igneel was a name-o!_

 _Phoenix, hey, a psychopathic possibly possessed man gotta do what a psychopathic possibly possessed man gotta do. (Thank you!) I was kind of wondering how to make him smarter without having him completely rub it in anyone's faces, so I'm glad to see I did well. Hmm. He miiight have. And hey, I'm sorry buddy, but I'm just gonna toss this where. While I think having Mavis and Zeref be the parents of Natsu could be interesting, and maybe something warranting another fic entirely, I'm not going to be doing it here. I've been thinking on it since you first brought it up, and that's the answer I'm going to give. Sorry :(_

 _Yeah, I'm not the fondest of romance either, so I do typically shoot for the sibling/ closer than family bonds. Hmm, now there's a thought. (Hey, just because they aren't gonna be parents doesn't mean there's not going to be something else going on there…) Sting… Isn't something I've put much thought into yet. I have one conversation planned out, and that's about it. Layla still exists! I'll tell ya that much! I really haven't thought about that yet, though I have Empra pegged as someone who'd rather be a hermit with her books, and I imagine Whirl wouldn't deal with all that attention too well. (I hear nearby water sources start boiling when she gets embarrassed). Kyu… I think Kyu being in charge of anything would lead to disaster. And Grotee is_ very _old, so who knows with him? Natsu might learn how to combine DragonSlayer magic, buut he also might not. (Laxus)_

 _You know, I imagine Natsu much the same! Imagine that! (Eh? Ehhh?) yeah, who knows where Natsu got the idea to join Fairy Tail. Hmm. Hey, I'm loving the attention over here! (Honestly though, seeing all the theories you're thinking of really brightens my day.) and that just makes me blush. You are too good._

 _Guest(3), yeh, let's get it going! Cmon authordude! Oh, wait, that's me. Uh. Yeah, life is like a bubble floating on the breeze, before you know it, pop! It's gone. I think the story is quite going by the end of this chapter. Thank you, and I plan to!_

* * *

"Erza! Thank goodness, you're alright… What happened here?" Lucy hurried across the ruins of the corridor, and superstitiously glanced over her shoulder.

Erza let her blades fade from view, and shifted her gaze away from the ceiling. "Nothing too big."

Lucy shuffled for a moment, "you haven't seen Natsu or Gray around, have you?"

Erza paused. "No, I haven't. As for what happened here, there was some minor disturbance. Nothing to worry about. Anyway, you should leave. What's going on here is no business of yours."

Lucy balked. "What! No way! This is concerning you, and you're my friend, I'm not just going to leave you here! Besides, what if Gray and Natsu are here as well?"

Erza winced slightly, a brief shudder in her counter acne, and then she was standing tall and proud once more. "If I come across them, I'll tell them to leave as well."

"You're missing my point here! I'm not just gonna let you take this on alone, whatever it is you're trying to do!"

"… Alright. But promise me, if anything happens that's out of your league, or if you feel like you're in danger in any way, then you will leave."

"I'm not gonna-"

"Promise. Me."

"Y-yes ma'am."

* * *

This room was creepy. Just… Just creepy. Granted, cats were adorable but…

This was a bit much.

There was cats on the floor, cats on the walls, cats on the furniture, cats on the ceiling… They weren't even real cats, just cartoony renditions of them.

"Ooh, someone's in my room, nya~"

This was someone's room? Someone willingly chose to live in here. Natsu made a split-second decision and ducked out a nearby door. He was not going to deal with this today.

* * *

Gray turned his back to the demon that had ruined his life twice over, away from the remains of the mentor that had raised him from that darkness and then plunged him into it again.

He wouldn't let his life be ruined again, whether it be ruined by the demons of his past, or by a pink haired mage who was clearly hiding something.

So he turned and walked away.

Juvia took one last look at the imposing figure, and turned to follow.

* * *

Lucy gripped her key tightly, not uttering the chant, but keeping the words on her tongue.

Erza held her blade steady, and held her gaze much the same as she kept a woman pinned to the wall. "Erzy~! Let me go~!"

The cat eared lady squirmed, but immediately stopped when Erza's blade inched closer to the biggest cat plush. "No! Don't hurt Mr Whiskers!"

"I won't, so long as you listen to what I have to say." Milliana wiggled against the wall one last time, before giving in and holding still.

"I'll listen."

And Erza explained. She explained the sins of Jellal, the mistakes she had made and the threats that had been crafted.

And Milliana listened.

* * *

"You are powerful, aren't you?" Natsu stood firm, the tall metal-jawed man across from him doing much the same.

"What's it to you?"

"You just might be able to free Jellal."

* * *

"Ice Make: Spear!"

"Water Slicer! Water Lock!"

"Ice Make: Geyser!"

Juvia let the water lock drop with a cry of pain, and Gray grimaced as he readied his next attack.

"Ice Make: Gavel."

A hammer of ice smashed down on his opponent, and Juvia gave in.

"Juvia cannot move…"

And then their assailant joined in with a sigh. "To battle so furiously… That must be Love…"

"Undo whatever spell you cast on Juvia!"

"But the battle between you was so full of Love…"

"Listen, I don't know what 'love' is to you, but this sure as hell ain't love to me."

"But… Love…"

Gray growled in annoyance, before decided to deal with matters himself. "Ice Make: Saucer." A buzz saw crafted from ice pulled itself from his hands, and went flinging across the room.

But then it stopped, and shuddered, and that was all the warning Gray got before the saw was flinging itself back at him, forcing him to hastily create a shield.

"Damn."

"My magic lets me take control over things! It's almost like … Love…"

"Ice Make: Floor!"

And she slipped.

* * *

"I… Can't believe it, nya~! Why would Jellal lie to us~!"

Erza let her blade vanish, and moved towards Milliana, placing her hands on the sobbing girls shoulder and pulling her in for a hug.

Even Lucy had tears in her eyes, though she had heard the tale from Erza before.

"Jellal told us you burned the boats! He told us you left us here to die!"

"I'm truly sorry, Milliana. There was nothing I could do, he promised to kill you if I came back."

"N-no way…"

"Wally! Please, I don't want to fight you. Hear me out?"

"I… I already did. My room is right next to Millie's, and the walls are kinda thin. What Jellal did just ain't dandy."

"Thank goodness." And then she pulled Wally into a hug too.

* * *

Jellal frowned. Now, that wasn't very nice. He even let Wally watch movies on his break!

Ooh, the magic council was almost ready to fire Etherion. He just needed two more votes! How exciting.

Some part of him idly wondered if the Tower actually would survive Etherion.

Another part wanted a sandwich.

He ignored them both.

…He wanted a sandwich.

* * *

Now with Milliana and Wally at their side, Lucy and Erza continued on their trek up the tower.

"What has Jellal done since I had to leave?"

Milliana shuffled awkwardly. "Well, he made us finish the tower, but he let us learn magic! Nya~ But, he also kind of…"

"Wasn't dandy in the head no more, you get what I mean pardner?"

"Not really, no."

* * *

Natsu gripped the ring Simon had given him tightly. As it turned out, Jellal had given one of his possessions to each of his main underlings, and kept one for himself. The very thought made him want to burn something. Or electrocute something. Bury it, freeze it, douse it thoroughly in water.

Maybe the last one a little less than the others.

Now with Grotees ring securely in his possession, he ducked down another hallway under the pretence of looking for his friends, but really staying as far away from their scents as he could manage.

Though, being trapped in the crazy cat woman's bathroom and hearing Erza and Lucy come in was half relieving, because it meant crazy cat woman likely wouldn't find him in her bathroom.

Thankfully, he had found a sizeable vent he could stage his escape in, and it was in there that he came across Simon. Turns out Jellal didn't monitor the vents.

Simon had promised to try and get his other precious objects, and Natsu decided to help with that in the most obscure way, namely, being very distracting to the blonde haired man named Shu.

"So, Jellal told you she burned the boats and you believed him just like that?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't think about how Erza didn't have fire magic before that, did you?"

"…No?"

"And you didn't ask why Erza would escape by herself after leading the rebellion that freed you all?"

"What are you trying to do, exactly?"

"Distract you."

And with a flourish, Natsu dropped into the closest vent.

A card with a white scarf on it slipped out of the shadows.

* * *

Gray helped Juvia to her feet, and apologized for the- frankly- brutal attack earlier.

"Juvia will be alright, Juvia just needs some time to recover. Gray is very strong."

"We gotta stop you doing that."

"Stop Juvia doing what?"

"That. Speaking in third person."

"Juvia is speaking in third person?"

"Nevermind."

* * *

"Oh, Erzy I almost forgot! I have something from one of your friends."

Erza tilted her head. "Oh? What?"

"It's this, nya~"

A small diamond glittered brightly from the chain on which it dangled.

And something very important clicked into place for Erza.

(Does that mean I'm not one of Jellals main underlings? That ain't dandy!)

* * *

"Jellal is speaking in third person?" No, he should not indulge in such pleasantries as mockery! Only lord Zeref was deserving of such pleasures.

Was mockery a pleasure?

If it was, it mattered not because the magic council just agreed to fire Etherion, the fools, _the fools!_

Jellal bounced on the balls of his feet, and turned to face the sky, much like everyone in the tower did.

Because glowing brightly in it was several magic circles.

* * *

"Is that?

* * *

"That's…

* * *

"No way, it's…

* * *

 _Etherion._ "

* * *

Back in the magic councils headquarters, a single cry was heard.

" _FIRE!_ "

* * *

 _I never really thought of my hair as heavy until I tipped my head back in the shower and I actually struggled to get it upright again. Etherion has been fired~_

~ShadeShadow


	18. Shatter

_You know what sucks? After going through my entire life without allergies, they decide to kick in on the one day I have set aside for relaxation. Haah… I see why people hate them._

* * *

 _Phoenix, we're all counting on you here, Natsu. Yea, I'm actually pretty happy with the way things are going. Hmm. ELA. Nah, I think END has a far more ominous ring to it, yanno? But, I mean, who knows what might happen? I'm sure the Gajeel and Laxus interactions will be electrifying. They'll really be up to date with current events, I imagine. The other people in the guild may have to steel themselves though. Whew, that's a bit of weight off my shoulders… Yeh, whadda coincidence! Haha. Hey, I call everyone buddy. Or pal. Or dude. Friendo if I'm in a weird mood. (Kinda like the word skedaddle. I'm surprised skedaddle hasn't appeared in my writing more often actually…) It just sorta slips out sometimes. I can try and avoid doing so if it bugs you. (What would a female version of buddy be, anyway? Buddete? Budda? Buddha?) and hey, I might have said this before, I don't know, but I too am a girl. Hey, I'm super excited to get this written up! Aww, you're making me blush again… (Is this a super secret plot to turn me into a tomato? I'm watching you…)_

* * *

"Erza!"

"Natsu! What are you-"

"No time for that right now, I need you to take off the magic binding spell!"

The red haired warrior shifted, and crossed her arms, well aware of the other's confusion.

"Listen, if you don't undo that spell, Etherion, is gonna hit the tower!"

"… I trust you. To do the right thing."

And then the pink haired Mage was gone, rocketing up the side of the tower as quickly as he could manage, until he reached the top.

Pausing for breath, he remember what Kyu had taught him about reflecting magic. ' _I have to get this just right…_ '

"Ice Dragons Reflection Shield!"

A mirror of ice spun out from where Natsu stood, expanding in a clockwise fashion until it was big enough to match the Etherion beam. Then, it began shifting, as if it were a trampoline and someone was standing on it, bending in on itself.

Parts of it cracked ever so slightly, and as quickly as he could manage Natsu began to knit the ice back together.

"Ice Make:"

Bewildered, he turned his head half an inch, still carefully maintaining the magic. Gray was next to him, a water Mage who must have propelled him up the tower at his feet.

"What are you looking at? Just keep the spell going."

Together, the two mages refined the ice until it was flawless, and concave.

And Etherion fired.

It slammed into the ice with all the force that the magic council could muster, enough force to obliterate a nation, but the spell held fast.

A humans magic was nothing compared to a spell created by Dragons, a spell created to reflect even the most powerful of Dragon spells.

Natsu gritted his teeth, and dug his heels in, barely holding back against the pure tidal wave of force directed at the Reflection Shield, and by extension, him.

But then there was steadying hands on his shoulders, and a watery pull around his feet.

And like a trampoline snapping someone into the sky, the Reflection Shield sent Etherion into the sky.

* * *

"My p… My Lord Zerefs plan… No! No no no!" This was the result of a decades worth of work! This! And yet single spell destroyed any and all possibility of

Wait.

Ooh, that was just positively evil!

* * *

Lucy nudged Erza's shoulder with her own, the requip Mage still holding perfectly still as Etherion disappeared from view. "You think he did that?"

A nod. "I think he did."

"You think he's alive?"

"I think he's tougher than he looks."

"Indeed. Natsu holds power inside him that none of you know of." Simon pulled himself out of the shadows, and took an apologetic stance. "I'm sorry, Erza, that I had to act the way I did. It was necessary to fool Jellal."

"Simon, you…?"

"Yes, I never lost faith in you."

Erza smiled softly. "Thank you."

* * *

He couldn't believe this. All of his friends, they had abandoned him! They had left him to… They had left him alone. That hurt.

Shu slammed his fist on the surveillance Lacrima, cracking it neatly down the middle.

He didn't even have Jellal anymore, that pink haired mage had planted too many doubts in his mind.

What should he do? Who should he believe? Erza? Jellal? Erza? Jellal? Erza, who had her eye carved out for him? Jellal, who sheltered and provided and protected him? Erza, who freed him? Erza, who burned the boats? Jellal, who enslaved him again, but taught him magic? Jellal, who sa

ved them from the burned boats? Erza, who had no reason to burn the boats? Jellal, who, with his new ambition, had every reason?

Shu clutched at his head. Erza? Jellal? Erza? Jellal?

… Zeref?

* * *

Natsu sat up, slightly out of it. "Geez man, you really gotta stop casting spells that knock you out, it's not a good battle strategy."

"Gray, wha… I thought you hated me?" Gray leaned back on the slanted roof.

"I did. But that was mainly because of the past families killed thing, not you personally. Well, I guess that's kind of personally actually. Uh… Juvia help me out here."

"Juvia thinks Gray should apologize."

"That's not helping. Uh, alright, listen man, I'm sorry. I acted like a total jerk because of something we have no proof that you did. I'll admit, I messed up big time."

Natsu chuckled. "You remind me of someone I knew once. He was stubborn as all hell, and had a temper to boot, but he was a good… Magician, and when he messed up big time or made a big mistake, he'd apologize in his own awkward way."

Gray shifted on the rooftop, thinking over what Natsu said for a minute or two. "What was his name?"

"His name was Kyu."

They basked in silence for a few minutes more, and then "Juvia thinks we should go back inside and find Gray and Natsu's friend."

"Oh crap, you're right!"

* * *

"I don't have entirely good news, I'm sorry to say." Simons remaining eye drooped, and he took a step back from where he had embraced Erza. "Jellal has Natsu under his control."

Lucy gasped, and Erza closed her eyes. After seeing the word Natsu had managed to carve into the wall as they fought, she had figured as much, and especially so after getting his diamond from Milliana.

"Jellal took his precious possessions, didn't he?"

Simon, ashamed, took another step back. "I'm afraid so. Together, we managed to get his ring and scarf back, but the other two… Well, Milliana has one, and Jellal the other."

Erza held up a small diamond. "I have Millianas."

* * *

Gray had gone back deep into the tower, with Juvia in tow, at Natsu's insistence. After all, Natsu had someone to 'report' to.

He entered Jellals room of choice, taken aback by the chaos that had spread through the room since his last 'visit'. The walls were crumpled like some strongman had a fit, the floor and ceiling much the same. Chunks of rock were sprayed over the floor, but the 'throne' Jellal was so fond of sitting in was untouched. By extension, the Lacrima in the centre of the room was pristine.

Jellal, who was in the corner of the room with his back turned, whirled to face him. " _You_. You _ruined_ it! The magic council was going to be so _so_ shocked when using their special little spell backfired on them! You _**ruined**_ it!"

And he held up one hand, by extension the armband from Whirl, and he _shattered_ it.

* * *

 _Dah daaah! Kinda short compared to last chapter, buuuut something tells me you guys won't mind._ ~ShadeShadow


	19. Awake

_I'm aware that some people might be confused after Jellals performance last chapter, like hey wasn't he all calm and like 'I can make this work' and then next time we see him he's furious? Well, my good people, you know when you get upset over something, like you drop your icecream and you're like 'aw no, my icecream, that was my favourite flavour!, and you're all sad so you get another icecream, but it's a different flavour and when you think about dropping that first icecream you get sad all over again? It's a bit like that._

 _Phoenix, well, you'll just have to find out. ...it might be. Maaaaybe. Yeh, Jellal ain't done yet. He's rather steadfast for a lunatic, ain't he? Yeh, I think Natsu does something in this chapter that'll really help that bond along. Mhm. I see your tomato-turning spell is at work once more!_

 _Guest, one, two, this is new, three, four, a guest is at the door, five, six, I hope this sticks, seven, eight, I won't be late, nine, ten, I'll share it then, eleven, twelve, and in we delve! Oh, is that how you spell his name? Whoops... Eh, I'm sure no one will notice... Shu has been possessed! The armband has been destroyed! Yeh, a real bummer. ASAP, got it. And you shall know! Mostly. Maybe. A little._

* * *

Erza let her Black Wing armour cover her form, and with a smooth slice she attacked the blue haired Mage, only to have her sword shattered.

"My magic creates vibrations in the air that force anything magic out of existence! You can't defeat me, Mage!"

Erza didn't humor him with a response, instead swinging again with a different blade. Once again, her attack was stopped, but she saw an opening.

"Lucy, now!"

And Lucy, who had been careful to avoid any attention, took her chance. "Lucy Kick!"

The thickly eyebrowed mage didn't stand a chance.

Brushing her skirt off, the celestial mage gave herself a mental pat on the back.

Off to the side, Milliana was being chased by a man who bore a striking resemblance to a dog. Milliana took a swipe at him, only to panic more as he dodged it. This game of cat and dog eventually ended with Milliana on Wallys shoulders.

Much to the pseudo Cowboys displeasure.

"This ain't dandy, partner! Get offa me!"

"No! If I do, the mean doggy-woggy will bite me! Nya~!"

"Bite? My magic is in my fingernails! One scratch from these babies, and you'll be stunned for hours!"

Wally, who had chosen to ignore Milliana completely, scratched at his forehead. "That ain't dandy."

The dog-man, who evidently wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, imitated Wally. "Is there something on my forehead?" And he knocked himself out.

"That was… Easy."

* * *

Gray danced to the side, just barely avoiding a ice bear. "Lyon! Why are you doing this?"

Lyon laughed madly, and created a swarm of ice bats. "To prove I'm stronger than Ur! Look, I've mastered one handed casting already, and I'm going to kill Deloria!"

"What?!" A water attack from Juvia destroyed several ice creations. "Are you mad! The only thing you'll get from awakening Deloria is a whole bunch of death and destruction!"

Lyon shaped an ice tiger, and sent it at Gray. "No! I will be better than Ur! That's all I wanted, but you ruined it, so now I have to free Deloria! I have to!"

"No, you don't!" Gray sent an ice lance to pin the tiger to the ground, shattering both sculptures. "You don't have to awake that _monster_ to prove yourself better than Ur! If you did, all you'd be doing was proving yourself as the lowest of scum! Ur gave her life to seal that demon away!"

"Juvia doesn't know what you're talking about, but Juvia thinks Gray should focus more on the battle. Juvia has had to stop twelve attacks that Gray did not notice."

"Oh, sorry Juvia."

"Thirteen."

The two mages played off of each other wonderfully after that, despite not knowing each other too well. When Gray ducked, Juvia went high. When Juvia went right, Gray went left. However, the barrage from Lyon seemed to never end, and occasionally the Ice Make Mage stuck them himself, either ducking out from behind a pile of shards to land a heavy punch, or riding by on a ice animal to kick out.

Gray, after taking a few of these hits, decided he had had enough. "Juvia! Take my hand!"

While confused, the water Mage did as he asked. "Juvia wants to know what Gray is planning."

Gray grinned, somewhat dangerously. "Unison Raid."

And an explosion of ice and water filled the corridor, the two mages still holding hands in the centre of it. It was if the ocean had flooded into the hallway, and razor shards of ice swam dangerously around in it.

They held the spell for a moment longer, and then let it drop. Lyon dropped with it.

* * *

Thanks to his heightened senses, Natsu heard the armband break, he heard it crack and groan and—

Thanks to much the same, he saw each shard of water dissolve, each drop hit the floor. All that was left of what was once a precious gift was a small puddle of water.

And then Jellal was gone in a flash of light.

Natsu was almost immediately after him, an icy chill permeating the air. Frost spread over the floors and walls, jagged shards of ice mirroring the Lacrima of the Tower.

Jellal, for his part, began to reprogram a part of the tower to accept power from a different source, a source that was far easier to reach than Etherion.

After all, if he had a demon in his basement he might as well use it.

But then there was that pesky Iced Shell…

Jellal spun to the side, barely avoiding a wicked column of ice that shot up from the floor.

The two mages continued their frantic game of cat and mouse, barreling past the exhausted Juvia and Gray, past the defeated form of Lyon and the drunken guards.

They continued their flight past Erza and Lucy, who had just finished using Milliana's ropes to bind their opponents, despite the evident lack of intelligence from one of them.

Erza gasped as she caught them pass, and while Jellal was barely a flicker in the corner of her eye, Natsu was moving at a much slower pace.

And he looked completely crazed.

* * *

Jellal managed to reach Deloria fairly uninjured, barring a few jagged cuts from when the ice had moved too fast for even him to dodge. Perched on top of the icy shell, he watched in mild fascination as his opponent took in Iced Shell, or perhaps the demon within.

* * *

" _Now, Natsu, there's a type of ice magic with exchanges the wielders life-force to create a shell- a shell that will last for as long as it needs to._ _ **Never**_ _let me catch you using this spell. It will_ _ **ruin**_ _you. There is, however, a counter active to this spell."_

* * *

Natsu placed one hand on the shell, and, reaching into its essence, he crafted a rudimentary form of ice, one close to mirroring the casters body.

Deciding to put just a little extra effort into it, he crafted a leg for her- she was missing one after all.

And then he grabbed a hold of that essence and _pulled._

And Iced Shell crumbled. And for the first time in ten years, Ur moved of her own free will.

Jellal, who was now sitting on the head of one of the most destructive forces that had rampaged across Fiore in a century (not including Fairy Tail), blinked. That was one way to get rid of Iced Shell. (Personally, he planned on smashing it to pieces, but oh well.)

Deloria moved under him, before creaking open its mouth, using muscles and powers that hadn't been used for years, and it _roared._

Jellal grinned viscously, and goaded Deloria into attacking. And the moment it did, was the moment Jellal activated the Tower, and the Tower latched onto Delorias magic and completely _drained_ him.

The Titan of a demon collapsed lifelessly to the ground, the magic that had been its life force for years upon years abandoning it.

Jellal sat back in self contentment as the tower shifted around him- just in time to catch a fist to the face.

* * *

 _Ur is alive? Isn't that too convenient, you say? Well, worry not my dear reader. I never said that there wouldn't be reprecussions of Iced Shell. Let's start off with how her body is made of ice, I don't imagine she'll do well in warm areas... Among other things. (Now, how will I tackle dragon force... Will I even tackle it at all? Who knows.) oh, sorry that Lyon kinda got sidelined, but I imagine a plot to revive the most evil wizard to ever walk Earthland kind of topped some angsty teen who wanted to melt an ice cube. (Even if the ice cube did have a demon in it...)_ ~ShadeShadow


	20. Shell

_**First order of business. I want to apologize for the delay. This chapter was originally twenty pages long in word. The longest I've ever written before was seven. See, it's kind of a special thing, because not only is it this stories twentieth chapter, it's also a couple days past the stories anniversary and Phoenix's birthday today.(mini-celebration in the bottom authors note!) I go to save, my iPad glitches, and boom. The document is gone. Twenty pages of writing, gone. So, in order to update sooner, I've cut this down to five pages, not including the authors notes. Enjoy!**_

* * *

 _I went to a beach and got pretty cut up for my troubles. Both my hands are pretty bloodied, and my right middle finger is cut from the top to the bottom, meaning I can't bend it, so I keep unintentionally flipping people the bird. Whoops. Hey, if you got middle fingered by someone while they ate icecream, I am so sorry it took me like five minutes to realize my mistake._

* * *

 _Phoenix(1), those scenes are real heartbreaking, so of course I can't leave you for too long! Ooh-hoho! You're the first person to bring that up! Hahaha! Well, to be totally honest, I didn't like this arc too much, nor did I like the Galuna Island arc, so I decided to mash them together. And hey, it worked out surprisingly well. Ah, I'm glad to hear that. Well, not the iPad troubles, but that this cheered you up. Thankfully my iPad doesn't do the same thing, despite its age. (Although loading up word is always a struggle…) aw, you flatter me so. I am trying to hold back on the trauma, but then again Natsu seems pretty mad… haha, yep, lying low is not Fairy Tail's specialty._

 _Guest(1), A, B, C, D, E, F, G, this review it pleases me, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, I imagine quite surprised is how Jellal will be, Q, R, S, T, U, V, Deloria's gone Lyon will see, W, X, Y, and Z, Natsu's a real butt-kicker, heehee! More coming right up! I'm looking forward to seeing this play out too, I've been thinking about it so much I had a dream about it and it was beautiful… I'd like to quote Hetalia back, but unfortunately I haven't watched it yet… well, if you lose your mind, you better find it quick so you can read!_

 _Phoenix(2), gah, reading this made me so happy I flailed a little… People are looking at me strangely now… Eh. You know, I've never really spared much thought on their ages. Personally, I view Natsu as older than Lucy, but hey, if you want it to be consecutive, who am I to stop you? Ur… You'll have to wait and see with Ur. Laxus, I am so gonna have fun with Laxus… **happy flailing**_

 _Phoenix(3), worry not, my friend. It's just I decided to do something kinda special for a twentieth chapter, plus this fic is hitting its anniversary, so this chapter is twenty pages long in word! (Or it was. I had these responses pre-saved. Oh well.) Not including the authors notes, which take up two to three pages on their own. :) the twenty ninth, huh? Well, check the bottom authors note! And hey, you can consider this chapter a gift from me! **more happy flailing**_

 _Guest(2), Jingle bells, I've dropped bombshells, there is no need to rage~ A brand new show, now this you know, you may read on my friend. Haha, no worries, I was just working on a longer chapter. No desperation and/or mind-losing required!_

 _Guest(3), I know, right! How exciting! I would have updated before seven, but two things lined up against me. First, it's Phoenix's birthday on the 29_ _th_ _, so this chapter is kinda like a gift to them. Second, I got this email at seven thirty. Kinda hard to update at a time that has already passed. Sorry!_

 _Guest(4), aw, thanks for your concern! Don't worry, the worst thing that's happened to me lately is I missed an episode of a tv show I'm not too interested in, and it's on Netflix anyway (It's great background noise)._

 _Phoenix(4), woohoo! **small eruption of streamers** …shush I'm on time. Hey, this fic would be nothing without you and people like you. Man, it's kinda crazy to think it's been a whole year. Just… Wow. Lemme take this in for a sec. Really though, I can't tell you how much your positive words mean to me!_

 _Phoenix(5), ooh this is kind of a sad chapter. Oh no. Hey, I'll try and get a happier chapter by today, alright? And hey, you're not bugging me. You're like this little ray of sunshine in my life that just cheers me up every time I see a review from you. I'm pretty much the opposite of busy actually. I'd say the most exciting thing to happen to me recently is I forgot I had my window open completely so when the bind blew my curtains just about smothered me. (Hey, you seem a little down. If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know, alright? Because I'll do what I can, because you aren't a bother, you're an actual genuine person who takes time out of their day and their life to read what I've written, and you take your precious time and complement me and that just blows me away every time. So please, of there's anything on your mind that I can help with, let me know.)_

* * *

Jellal toppled backwards, but recovered quickly. Natsu didn't give him much time, however, and quickly launched his next attack, a heavy handed strike to Jellals solar plexus. Jellal spun away from the enraged DragonSlayer in the nick of time, and opting for a more magical front he cast his first spell, Dark Grab.

A shadowy hand pulled itself away from the wall, and launched itself towards Natsu, managing to wrap its dark fingers around his waist. The shadowy hand then slammed the DragonSlayer around ruthlessly, before Jellal cut the spell and the hand dissipated.

Natsu landed firmly on his feet, slamming a fist down and letting ice swarm up around it, the frozen liquid spiking into the air with deadly intent.

Jellal reactivated his Meteor spell, dancing away from the ice and closer to the entrance, only to be cut off by several layers of ice.

Natsu growled.

Jellal gave little pause though, and smoothly switched directions to another entryway, only to have much the same thing happen.

Ice crept up the walls, turning what had once been an icy trap for a demon became an icy trap for a dark wizard, ice blocking anyone from escaping, or clinging to the walls, and ice covering the floor in deadly spikes.

Almost.

Because there was two smooth spots, practically one with how close together they were, the first where Natsu stood and the second where Ur sat stunned.

Jellal grimaced at the options, before letting Meteor drop him over Natsu.

The DragonSlayer growled again, winding his fist back, while Jellal plummeted towards him.

But in the split second before impact, Jellal vanished in a flash of light.

Natsu whirled with a growl, a new scent drawing his attention. Shu stalked towards the enraged DragonSlayer, twirling a card idly between his fingers. The ice around and in front of him melted, as if some had sped up the natural melting process.

"Jellal, Jellal. So deluded, he can't even see Lord Zerefs great ambitions!" Shu flicked the card away, and it embedded itself into a nearby column of ice, revealing a trapped Dark Wizard.

Shu pressed a hand to his forehead, and then shook it demeaningly. "So deluded. Poor fool."

Natsu launched himself forward, his rage propelling him. Shu smirked, and pulled another card from his sleeve, holding it forward so the DragonSlayer's fist would connect with it.

As soon as contact was made, a flash of light was emitted from the card, and Natsu's fist began to sink in.

The card got up to his elbow before the DragonSlayer caught on, and tried to leap away, but the pull of the cards magic was too strong. Natsu snarled, and dug his heels in, refusing to be taken so easily(because last time had cost him had cost him so much-)

Desperation and rage clouding his mind, the DragonSlayer raised his free arm, letting ice build up over it and form into a wicked blade. And then he swung it down, the ice cleaving through the air before biting into muscle and bone

and then stopping.

Ur caught the ice smoothly, with the practiced ease of someone who had worked with the material for years and now knew it better than their own body. (Though, in this case the two did not really differ.)

The ice of her hand groaned and cracked, but held firm.

Shu stumbled backwards, the card clattering to the ground, the magic binding Natsu to it gone. Natsu flexed his hand, almost with a sense of wonder, because he still _could._

The card mage landed heavily, his eyes meeting the frozen ones of Ur's, and there was a brief stared down between the two before Shu scrambled to his feet and ran.

Natsu would have followed him, but a cold hand caught his uninjured shoulder.

Ur met his gaze calmly, hiding what disbelief she may feel for the situation beneath an icy mask- a literal one.

Releasing her grip, as she had managed to give Natsu pause enough, she places her hands into the ice-make position. "I'm going to cover that wound on your shoulder with ice, alright?"

Natsu didn't move to protest, and Ur let the familiar icy chill flow through her and into her hands, perfect for forming a makeshift bandage.

She placed her hands on his shoulder then, careful of the jagged cut, and let the magic flow.

But nothing happened. Frowning, she tried again. A small drop of blood froze to her palm, but otherwise nothing happened. She pulled back, her gaze catching on the icy imprints her hands had left in his blood.

"That's the cost of Iced Shell. Your magic is gone, and so is your flesh and blood." Natsu let the ice around his arm crumble, bloodied chunks bouncing off each other on the floor. Then, he did much the same thing Ur did, except ice coated his shoulder smoothly.

While the fog of rage was gone, what it had left behind was practically nothing more than a shell.

* * *

 _Happy Birthday Phoenix! You've been awesome, keep it up bud- pa- friendo! Really, this fic would not be where it is without you my friend. Here, have a virtual cake! (What else happens on birthdays- oh!) Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Phoenix, Happy Birthday to you! And may you have many more! It's lacking in gift wrapping, but hey, this chapter is something at least. And sorry I didn't finish the arc off. That'll probably come next chapter!_

 _(I'm sorry this is short but I think you guys know why.)_ ~ShadeShadow


	21. Dragon Force

_Haha, I bet that chapter title has some of you guys excited!_

* * *

 _Guest, Twinkle twinkle little star, Guess I've really set the bar, Up above the world so bright, I must admit I adore this site, Twinkle twinkle little star, Jellal will have to go quite far. Chapter 21! Here it is! Whoo!_

 _Phoenix(1), well my readers were counting on me what else could I do? Aw, I hope your family is alright. It sucks when a family member is hurt and you don't know if they're gone be ok. Hey, anything for a friend. (Even if that friend is now a tomato.)_

 _Phoenix(2), whoo! So you were! Look out people we gotta number 100 on our hands here! Congrats!_

 _Otaku789, welcome to this… chaotic thing. Eh. It took me a second to realize you didn't mean a Natsu dating Lucy twist… (I haven't been reading too much slash what are you on about) We're sorry, Jellal is out of his mind right now. Try again right after the little blue haired girl. Ooh, I haven't thought of that actually. If I did it'd probably be on a separate story, and I've have to make it so people could read it without getting spoiled for this but I could give it a go(except I'm really bad at writing down what makes a character a character I usually default to 'nice'). Hm. I could set up a poll- you know what imma set up a poll for that. Thanks!_

 _Phoenix(3), **turns to camera** **dramatic whisper** she knows_

 _How did you access my notes they're not even on the Internet they're in a small black book at the back of my cupboard. If I got the tomato magic you got some sorta freaky foresight thing going on there. Whoa. As it stands, it's not set in stone that that'll be what happens, mainly because I'm tryna figure out what the conflict would be, or if there would be a conflict at all. (Though I gotta admit Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel vs the king of Edolas in his dragon suit thing is one of my favourite fights.) ((WAIT I GOT IT I GOT IT OOH THIS IS GUNNA BE_ GOOD _)) but man I'd love to see my Natsu interact with canon Natsu. But seriously though that there was pretty much my thought process like how did you even. How- what. Uh, anyway, Phantom Lord is clo~ose~ so very close. Oh yeah, Grand Magic Games is my favourite too. (Might have said that before earlier I don't exactly remember. Eh) well I mean I dunno if the council is after Natsu then I mean maybe having him compete in a tournament meant to be watched by the entirety of Fiore would be kind of a bad idea but then again it's Fairy Tail so… yeah I actually mentioned Hetalia to one of my friends and she was like 'oh I watched 113 episodes yesterday' and I was like 'excuse me_ what _' so she's got me started off (y'know I never had troubles with keeping up with subtitles before but that was chaos). Unfortunately I've been struggling to write anything lately but I'll overcome this writers block even if it, well, not kills me but y'know._

* * *

Erza pressed a bare palm to the cool surface of the tower, reaching into the flow of the magic. The Lacrima under her hand shuddered for a moment, before giving out and drawing her hand in. The magic burned and stung, biting into her skin, and Erza quickly withdrew. "Don't let your bare skin come in contact with the Lacrima for too long, it'll draw you in."

Lucy shuddered, tucking her arms in close to her body. The crystal jutting out seemed far more dangerous now. A cold wind swept the top of the Tower, and Lucy ducked to the side, hiding from the chill behind one of the few remaining walls. On the way, one of her boots splashed into a small puddle.

Milliana and Wally, at Erza's request, had branched off from their group to search the Tower, and make sure everyone had evacuated. Whatever the earlier roar came from, it couldn't be something good.

Which left Lucy, Erza, and Simon alone at the top of the tower.

It was about then that Shu joined them. The blond staggered unsteadily, titling forward before steady hands caught his shoulders. Erza lowered her head a little, searching Shu's gaze for a moment, and gave a gentle smile.

His eyes held no hostility towards her.

However, even as nice as it was to be re-accepted by (almost) all her old friends, there were more prevalent things at hand.

"Shu, do you have any injuries? Can you stand?" In response, the card mage slumped against her further. Unwilling to let him touch the tower more than necessary, she leaned him back against her while she knelt.

"Your friend attacked me out of nowhere… I managed to catch Jellal in a card so they didn't have to fight… But as soon as I did, he attacked me." Shu shifted slightly, before revealing a couple of bloody gouges on his left arm.

"I managed to get away… but only just. I thought he was gonna kill me, sis."

Erza furrowed her brows. Had she truly made the wrong choice letting him have his magic back? Some part of her told her no, but…

"Can you tell me exactly what happened, start to finish?"

Shu nodded. "I saw them go past where I was hiding, so I followed them. When I got to the room they were fighting in, Natsu looked like he was losing. Jellal had him at his mercy, he was no match for Jellal spells. I just wanted to help, I'm honestly surprised I managed to catch him with my card. But as soon as I did, Natsu looked really mad, and he started attacking me instead. I didn't want to hurt your friend so I tried to run away. I almost didn't make it!"

"And how did you escape, exactly?"

Shu shifted his position again, supporting himself more and leaning less on Erza, cradling his right arm. "A lucky fluke, I guess. There was this one hallway with some unconscious people and they distracted him long enough for me to get here." He turned to face Erza, taking a kneeling position much like hers, any previous sign of exhaustion gone. "I was _scared_ sis."

Simon crossed his arms, looming over Shu rather ominously. "Is that so?"

Shu nodded vigorously. "Well, I just got a call from Milliana and Wally. They found a group of people passed out in the hallway, _all of them trapped in cards_."

A dark expression covered Shu's features for a moment, and then he turned to Erza. "He's lying, sis. I wouldn't do that you your friends!"

Erza stood. "There's another problem with your story. It is in my belief that Natsu would not attack someone unprovoked."

Shu made to stand, propping himself up with his left arm. "But he did! Look, see, my rig- er, left arm is hurt really badly."

Lucy chose then to join in on the conversation. "You were going to say right arm, weren't you? Plus, you've been using your left arm and there's no blood staining the fabric around the cuts."

Much the same dark expression covered Shu's features, and he bit out a swear before spinning his cards out onto his fingers, sending them careening away from him and towards Simon, Lucy, and Erza.

The three mages vanished, and Shu picked up the cards with a small frown on his face.

Two of them were empty.

* * *

Ulterior smirked from a spot unseen. Even if her pawn had failed her initially, reacting too much like her when that look-alike hunk of ice had shown up, he didn't fail her here. His act served its purpose, managing to keep the mages distracted while she set her trap.

Zeref would be in her reach soon enough. But first, she had pawns to manipulate.

* * *

Jellal watched the world from his skewed perspective, the ice he was embedded in distorting the world in front of him. Even so, he could clearly see a shock of pink.

Oh, how he longed to destroy that pink. To smash it into the ground and set it aflame, all in honour of his lord Zeref.

But he restrained himself, because oh his lord was clever indeed. He had whispered into Jellals ear his brilliant plan, oh his lord was so clever!

So we waited, and surely enough, the pink left, as if lead away by something. Almost as soon as the pink was gone from his view, the ice around the car melted, and Jellal pulled himself free.

Oh his lord was so brilliant. Jellal could hardly contain himself, he hardly deserved the honour of being spoken to by his lord.

Stretching, Jellal began on his way to the top of the tower.

* * *

Shu looked darkly down at the card in his hand. "Well, I doubt anyone would come back for you. How useless." He crumpled the card, heedless of the small cry of pain that his actions elicited.

Chucking the crumpled card to a dark corner of the room, he whirled to the entrance of the room, mood darkening further as Jellal stepped in. The blue haired mage regarded him coolly.

"For lord Zeref." Jellal extended a hand. Shu gripped it firmly. "For lord Zeref."

And then the closest wall exploded. Natsu stepped through, a chunk of Lacrima in his hand, one shoulder coated in ice.

Slowly, he raised the chunk to his lips, and took a bite.

The pure force of the anger and darkness the magic possessed almost sent Natsu to his knees, but he managed to stay on his feet- if only just.

The incompatible magic rushed through him wildly, and for a moment he felt death, or perhaps something far worse loom up inside of him, even as the foriegn magic rushed through his veins and pushed blood from his lips-

But then he straightened again, scales forming around his eyes.

 _Dragon Force._

* * *

 _Writers block sucks._ ~ShadeShadow


	22. Whirling

_Any legend of Zelda fans here? If so you should check out a story on Ao3 called Skin Deep by Nuggy. She's a friend of mine, so be nice, yeah? (Also don't tell her I sent you she'll probably stab me in the knee) midway through writing this chapter she posted it on her fanfiction account too, which goes by ChickenNuggs. Give her support here too!_

* * *

 _Phoenix, may Jellal rest in peace. Shu too, all things considered. I knew it! That was way too close to what I had planned to be coincidence! Uh, anyway, I'm honoured that you actually put time into thinking about what I might do for a plot line. Mr. Heartphilia may or may not give up. (Cause I mean he let Lucy go in the anime cause she's his daughter and he loves her, but Natsu is just some random kid he found in a bush so…) perhaps. I mean, who knows who was in that card. It just might end up being something big… **wheels to camera** ** even more dramatic whisper**_ _ **she knows.**_ _Hey, family is important. My dad fell off his motorbike once. He skidded off the roads and into a blackberry bush where a homeless guy offered him blackberries, and then two big dogs ran by and a guy in a truck chased them down. The dogs, that is, not my dad and the homeless guy. …weird things happen to my family. Thanks for the advice! Personally, for me, writers block is less of a 'what should I do, I don't now what to do' and more of a stiffness in my mind that carries down to my fingers that makes it hard to think and type out what I'm thinking. (I've found that watching the episodes is typically a bad idea because then my brain is like 'oh no you're going too far off canon!' And then I have to fight myself) OH THAT REMINDS ME I listened to On My Own and got some intense inspiration for this chapter. Thanks! (You flatter me so)_

 _Guest, row row row your boat, gently down the stream, now this plot has been set on course, this certainly isn't a dream. Thanks for the advice! I'll not give up!_

 _Otaku789, I guess there's nothing really holding me up, now that you mention it. Huh. Guess I'm just lazy. Whoops. Oh gee, you really think so? Thank you! Yeah, people were commenting on how I was being too canon with this so I decided to change that with this arc, you know, mix them up a bit. And since I had so much fun with this, who knows what'll come later? Will do! And if you still feel inclined to throw that punch my way, you'll taste the Icy Dragons Frozen Fist!_

 _Guest(2), whoops. My. Bad. Bad. My. Whoops. Huh, that didn't work out quite like I envisioned. Oops. I'm updating, don't worry! I got your back! Hello desperate, I'm Shade. Oh yeah, Dragon Force tiiime!¡!¡_

* * *

Jellals eyes widened as the pure unadulterated force of Natsu's magic swept over him, almost taking a half step back. Somehow, even as the feral rage that had filled the DragonSlayer earlier was gone, the blank look in those eyes framed by scales was far more terrifying.

It was the look of a man with nothing left to fight for.

It was the look of the most dangerous type of person there is to fight.

Naught but a moment later, the temperature in the room plummeted, as Natsu took a step forward.

Another step, and four pillars rocketed forth from the floor.

One had raging flames in its centre, looking almost as if it was half melted, as if the slightest modicum of heat more would unleash the raging inferno.

A second had earth tumbling about in it wildly, pebbles slamming into rocks and rocks crashing into boulders, setting the chunks of stone to beat against the imprisoning ice wildly, cracking it but never quite breaking it.

The third had electricity crackling along its surface, the thin yellow ropes of energy whipping around with uncontrolled abandon.

The last of the pillars held an ocean in its depths, a calm sea that seemed welcoming and tame.

It was that pillar that Natsu stepped closest to, and as if a switch had been flipped the water began to rage, twisting itself around and building up fearsome waves.

One hand pressed to the ice, Natsu raised his uninjured arm and pointed his open palm towards the two mages. In response, ice filled with the ocean rocketed towards the two mages, both of them shooting in different directions.

"Icy Dragons Frozen Ocean."

The ice cracked, letting the ocean held within gushing onto the floor and freezing over again. However, it was only a thin pane of ice keeping the ocean from open air.

Jellal hovered above the frozen torrents in the harsh glow of his Comet spell. Half turning, he caught sight of Shu, who pulled a small rowboat out of one of his cards.

The two dark mages made eye contact for a moment, holding it before nodding sharply.

Shu began his offence, firing off a couple cards, both aimed perfectly at the DragonSlayer.

Natsu leapt out of the way of both of them, the instant his hand left the pillar the frozen ocean began to drain away.

With a growl, Natsu forced his injured arm up, the ice coating cracking and falling away in bloodied clumps. The cut reopened, blood beginning to make its sluggish way down is shoulder, but he ignored the ruby liquid in favour of launching his next attack.

Because his hand made contact with the electric pillar.

* * *

Lucy crossed her arms, clutching one of her keys tightly. Erza placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure he knew what he was doing."

"Y-yeah." Her agreement was shaky, but the celestial spirit mage managed to collect herself, straighten ending and unfolding her arms.

"Lucy, was it?" Simon came up from behind the pair, as Lucy hooked Horologiums key back onto her belt.

Swiping at her eyes for a moment, she nodded. "Care to take a look at his with me?"

"If you don't mind, I'll come along too." Erza asserted, her hand not leaving its place. Lucy smiled at her gratefully.

"Of course. It's nothing too important, just something a little odd I noticed."

Turning, he lead the two girls back into the dark room he had moved them to, pausing to grab a still lit torch from a surviving bracket on the wall.

The dim orange reflected back at them form the multifaceted surface of the Lacrima, giving the room a soft, if slightly eerie, ambience. "When I pulled us away from Shu's attack, I reached out to every magic source in the room, barring Jellal and Shu of course."

Lucy nodded.

"Well, somehow I missed your spirit Horologuim, but I managed to grab… Well, look for yourself."

Moving the torch farther from his body, at first Lucy didn't see anything wrong, before her eyes caught in a small puddle. "You see it too, right? This room is far from any piping, the only way it could have gotten here is if I moved it."

Erza stiffened, a sharp inhale marking her realization. "Lucy, Simon, did you see if Natsu had his arm band?"

Simon frowned the best he could with his metal jaw. "No, last I was aware, Jellal… You don't mean?"

"I'm afraid I do. Lucy, you have Aquarius' key on you right?"

Lucy, who was feeling slightly out of the loop, pounced on the opportunity for something familiar. "Yes, I brought her with me just in case."

"Could you summon her from that puddle?"

"Uh, I don't really see why. I mean, we're not battling anyone, and she'd probably kill me for summoning her from some random pudd…" Erza's gaze darkened. "One water spirit, coming right up!"

Simon chuckled as Lucy knelt next to the small pool. "You never lost your commanding presence, did you?"

Erza smiled softly. "No, I guess not."

"Open, gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!" The usual magic circle spun out, before shuddering. It shook for perhaps half a minute or so, before the magic lines broken apart, rearranging themselves into a new shape.

One with a dragons visage in the middle.

Lucy gasped as the spell drained much more magic than she had intended it to, almost cutting it off before the sudden drain stopped.

Because the spell had completed its course, and standing in the puddle of water was a miniature dragon.

The dragon shook her head for a moment, as if she had been startled out of a deep sleep, her slitted eyes focusing on the trio the moment after.

She was quite unlike any dragon Erza had, well, not seen before, but imagined before. The books she sometimes read described them as fearsome beasts, power and rage flowing off of them in waves. But this little dragon barely had any of that, instead her features seemed almost delicate.

Her snout was narrow, her head perhaps barely only larger. Two frills took the place of ears, both of them almost seeming as if they were liquid, flowing back continually and merging smoothly with her scales. The scales themselves seemed to have the appearance of water, like a lake viewed from beneath on a warm summers day. Her eyes, for all they should have been intimidating, were instead soft.

The Dragoness, for what else could she be, shifted almost uncomfortably. "U-um. Why was I called here?"

Erza, being the first to snap out of her shock, knelt by the small pool. "That's what we'd like to know."

The Dragoness scuttled backwards, careful to keep all of her claws and her thin tail on or above the water source. "I was only supposed to be called by Aquarius' key if something really bad happened to Natsu…"

Shifting again, this time uncomfortable with Erza being so close, she peered down at her claws. And then let out a small gasp of surprise. "Oh! Is this, this must be…"

Scuttling over to he middle of the pool, she closed her eyes in concentration. The water began to ripple, beginning to take shape, before "Aren't you a dragon?"

Snapped out of her concentration, the Dragoness was reminded of her audience. "Oh- oh, yes um, I'm actually a thought projection right now. I'm usually, well, uh, a bit bigger. Um. You-you can't tell Natsu you saw me, alright? Uh, Kyu would be mad if I gave it, um, away."

"Tell Natsu what, exactly?" Erza moved in a little closer.

"Uh, uh, um, nothing. Nothing at all. Uh, nothing important, exactly. Well, uh, not important to, well, you. Not currently I don't think. Uh, do you even know who Natsu is?" Instead of scuttling away, she puffed up her chest, seaglass eyes meeting Erza's brown ones easily.

"We're guildmates of his. Me and Lucy that is. Simon isn't a member."

"O-oh! He's joined a guild? How lovely. Empra is always going on about how Guilds are wonderful places… Uh, light guilds that is. Not dark guilds. You aren't in a dark guild, are you? Oh, please say you aren't."

Lucy, who had still been in a slight state of disbelief, managed to snap out of it at the mention of their guild. "No, of course not! We're from Fairy Tail!"

"Oh, Fairy Tail? I think Igneel mentioned that guild once or twice. Um, your guildmaster is… Mavric? No, I think it was a she…" Her head craned down, examining her claws again as if they held the answers she was looking for. "Oh, it's just on the tip of my tongue. Marvin? M… Mavix? Oh dear."

Erza frowned. "Do you mean the first? Master Mavis?"

"Yes, Mavis, that was it. How is she? I remember her being a darling little thing. Took a right liking to Empra she did. I'm surprised we ever saw them out of Empra's little book cave." A brief pause, and then "oh dear. Uhm, please forget you heard any of that."

"That was a very long time ago. Our current guildmaster is Makarov." Erza smiled softly.

"O-oh. I so hoped to talk to her. Uh, I guess I wouldn't really be able to talk to her, actually. Not, uh, not as a thought projection. I can't exactly leave this puddle. Uhm, speaking of, would you mind letting me concentrate? I need to fix this armband, and then I'll go. If that's alright."

Lucy cautiously moved a hand close to the little dragoness, moving it away again the moment she noticed. "Uh, sorry. I just have a couple questions."

"Oh, uh, of course. Uhm, nothing too personal, right?"

"Not really. I was just wondering what your name is, and why you came out of Aquarius' key?"

"Oh, uh, m-my name is Whirl. I, uh, can't really give you all the details, but me and Aquarius are old friends. She let me place an enchantment on her key that whenever Natsu was in serious danger and her key was used, a thought projection of me would appear instead of her." Blinking her eyes at them almost curiously, she hesitated for one more moment before closing them, perhaps for the thought projections last time.

* * *

 _Quick apology for this chapter, I was really having trouble balancing the power to make it a fair fight. Due to that, I had to veer away from that for a bit as to not leave you guys hanging for like a month. So, before my next update, I'm going to toy with the power balance and hopefully figure something out! Also, if I don't end the next chapter with the beginning of the Phantom Lord arc, someone smack me._ ~ShadeShadow


	23. Fight

_Another Fairy Tail AU popped into my head last night. What would you guys think of a story where Natsu learned Crash Magic from Guildarts early on? It might be my next major story… by major I mean long, not popular, haha._

 _Guys! The Five Dragons made it into a community! I mean, granted the community advertises mostly yaoi and Shounen-Ai or whatever, and this isn't gonna have any of that unless I undergo a massive personality change but hey! It's something!_

* * *

 _Phoenix(1/2), first off, sorry for not responding to your review on chapter… Uh. 21? I checked my email before updating and it was like 'yep nope nothing to see here', and then as soon as I updated it was like 'haha! Here's a couple of reviews!' so sorry about that. Second off, thank you for reading and leaving a review on Skin Deep, ChickenNuggs was extraordinarily happy and wouldn't stop fawning over it. She was pretty much bouncing off the walls, haha. (Not unlike how I feel when I get a review from you so I'm not complaining) anyway, now I have a small horde of inspirational quotes, fear me. The writers block is about halfway gone, we're getting there! Aw, that's a shame. One of my close friends moved across the country about midway through high school. Thinking back on it, I think her and two others were the first friends I had that didn't bully me in one way or another… Uh, anyway, I'm sure you'll still have a great time in high school! (Oh no guys she's got her tomato magic back! Run for your non-tomato life!)_

 _Phoenix(3), Whirl makes an entrance! Originally I was gonna have Ultear fix the armband with arc of time, but then there was never really an opportune moment for that to happen, so then the responsibility shifted to Lucy and Aquarius, but at the last moment I decided to drop Whirl into the mix. Yea, I didn't want to overpower him with all the elements, and I feel like just ice would be underwhelming so I'm glad to see I found a nice balance. Ooh, there's an idea. But yes! Finally! Phantom Lord! Whoa whoa whoa no tears no tears I'm fresh outta tissues! You're quite welcome! Really I don't think of this story as a matter of obligation but rather one of personal enjoyment. Goodness knows I'd be a much sadder person without you guys and your positive reviews! Yea, On My Own has made it onto my personal YouTube playlist of songs-that-I-will-listen-to-on-repeat-whilst-writing, so you might want to watch out for any… familiar… Wording in this chapter. Oh no, if the suspense kills you who'll review in your place? Can't let that happen._

 _Guest, the itsy bitsy spider crawled up the waterspout, I'm sure the baddies minds have been filled with doubt, down came the rain and washed the spider out, kicking ass and acting crass is what we're about, out came the sun and dried up all the rain, I must say this story isn't turning out plain, and the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again! Phan-tom Lord! Phan-tom Lord! Oh, right, the Dragon Cry movie! I'm looking forward to that. I'm looking forward to rewriting that. Particularly that Natsu turning Dragon scene that we see in the trailer… Ahahaha. Darn, seems I missed the sixteenth… Maybe I'll make the nineteenth! Hopefully! Cause I mean if those Fairy Tail figures are Pop Figures I wouldn't be able to say no. Or, really any Fairy Tail figures thinking on it. (Darn, I missed it. Sorry, I've been struggling with a horrid headache for a few days ibuprofen why do you fail me.)_

 _Otaku789, and hey, if they aren't hidden away in keys who knows where they're hiding. Thanks! Oh no! Not evil Dragon Force Natsu! I'll have to get canon Natsu in here!_

 _Phoenix(4), actually I'm working my way through the One Piece manga right now! I think I'm on the… Uh. The arc with the blue haired robot dude. I should probably delve back in there, all things considered. The only reason I haven't read in a little bit is my library has volumes 60-65, but then jumps straight to 70, so I'm trying to locate the missing five. I think everyone is losing it for Phantom Lord._ I'm _losing it for Phantom Lord! No worries! (I mean if people are loosing it over a throwaway line in an authors note I have worries for when we're in the thick of things. Oh oh.)_

 _Guest(2), I've updated! Whoo!_

* * *

"Icy Dragons Frigid Flames!" The ice shot towards the duo of dark mages, the crimson of the flames offsetting the eerie blue glow the room seemed to hold.

Shu flicked a card between his fingers, the slip of magic imbued paper responding to s touch, before he threw it towards Natsu. The DragonSlayer raised a hand, and with it a wall of ice, smoothly deflecting the card. Gritting his teeth, the dark mage bit out a curse.

"Any ideas?" The blond turned to his partner, using the brief pause as Natsu moved between pillars to strategize.

"Just one." Jellal turned to Shu, a dark grin twisting his features. Shu, catching onto his line of thought, grinned dangerously as well, before another attack from Natsu split the two of them.

"Icy Dragons Blizzard." A flurry of ice shards shot forwards, thin needles piercing through fabric, and, if they paused for a moment, skin.

"I grow tired of this, DragonSlayer." Jellal moved closer. "You are too weak to defeat me. You are too cowardly to kill me. You couldn't even save an armband," he scoffed, "what makes you think you can stop me?"

Natsu grit his teeth, rage filling his features with an awful darkness once more. He took a deep breath, as if to steady his nerves, or perhaps respond, and Jellal smirked, knowing he had gotten under the DragonSlayers skin.

"Icy Dragons Roar!" His mouth open to a torrent of power, the raw energy and cold of it flooding the tower. Jellal had barely a moment to brace himself before the attack was upon him, small slivers of ice blending into crushing chunks.

Perhaps a minute, maybe two passed, and then Natsu snapped his mouth shut, half aware of the cut on his shoulders protest to the strain, and of Shu's almost half hearted attempt to catch him in another card. He snapped his gaze to the dark wizard, and felt an almost perverse satisfaction as the man cowered.

Pulling his attention away from the new, very large, very frozen hole in the tower, Natsu stalked his way over to the card mage.

"W-wait, surely we c-can talk this over! I didn't want him t-to break y-your armband!" Shu scrambled backwards, covering his head with his arm.

"Icy Dragons Froze-"

"Natsu!" Erza stepped forwards from a shadow on the wall, her gaze locked on the DragonSlayer. To one side of her, Lucy emerged, sparing Natsu a saddened glance before running to the overlooked crumpled card, and her celestial spirit that lay inside. On the other side, Simon barely stepped forward, keeping his magic at the ready in case they had to leave in a hurry.

"Erza. Leave."

"Natsu this isn't you. I may not know you well, but I know you'd never do what you're doing to Shu now."

"He deserves it. Wants to bring Zeref back. Broke my armband."

"I know, he did unforgivable things, but it wasn't him that broke your armband, that was Jellal. Am I right? He can't bring Zeref back in the state he's in now."

Shu nodded frantically when Natsu didn't move. "She's right, I didn't break the stup- uh, the armband."

There was a moment of further tension, in which Erza prepared herself to requip one of her stronger blades, but Natsu relented, stepping back from Shu.

"You smell like… A dragon." Erza's eyes softened.

"Lucy managed to fix your armband, Natsu. The magic from her Aquarius key woke up the magic in the water, and it reconstructed itself." The requip mage held out a hand, gauntlet free. Sitting in her palm was the armband, looking as if it hadn't been shattered minutes prior.

Natsu tentatively held a hand out, as if Erza would take a page from Jellals book and crush it, but the usually fierce redhead held it gently. And then it was gone.

Jella laughed madly as the armband cracked in his grip. "This is for Lord Zeref! Lord Zeref!"

Natsu began his move towards Jellal, the previous hope on his features replaced by fury. "Ah ah ah, pawn." Jellal wagged a finger. "You'll do what I say, and what I say only if you want this back. Now!" He turned to the rest of the room, seeming to choose someone before turning back to Natsu.

"Your first order! How exciting! Kill her." If looks could kill, Lucy's glare would have killed Jellal five times over.

Natsu looked at her, despair in his eyes. He went to take his first step, well aware of Erza reaching out to catch his shoulder, to stop him from going- and he crumpled.

Erza's hand caught on his bad shoulder, and she quickly hooked her arm under his, letting him slump against her.

"What did you do!" Jellals voice rose to a shriek, before he collected himself. "Do you _want_ me to break to stupid thing?"

"Jellal! Can't you see? This wasn't his intention, he passed out from magical exhaustion. Honestly after everything he's done, everything _you've_ made him do, I don't blame him."

If one was looking closely enough, you could see the corner of Natsu's mouth quirk up for a moment.

"Well?" Lucy spread her arms out to either side. "Who's gonna kill me now?"

Jellal let out a frustrated shout, before pointing at Simon. "You! Kill her! Kill anyone!"

Simon shrugged. "I'm not going to listen to your orders anymore Jellal."

But Jellal had already moved on. "Lord Zeref! Lend your most loyal servant your power!" He cackled madly as power surged to his eye, replenishing his magic power and wiping any pain he may have felt away.

Letting his head tilt back with the near overwhelming europhia, Jellal cast his arms out. "This is for you! My Lord!"

Snapping his head forward, his gaze locked onto Erza. " _My Sacrifice!_ "

In a moment, he was standing next to her, ripping Natsu from her grasp and planting a spell to cause immobility on her. Red lines, almost like snakes coiled around her arms and neck, one streaking over her face and across her nose.

"I can't move!" The strain showing on her face, the great Titania managed a slight tremble, but was otherwise motionless.

"Open! Gate of the Golden Bull!" Taurus sprung to life from Lucy's key, taking into the seriousness of their situation and quickly moving to guard both Natsu and the motionless Erza.

"I won't let him mooove past me, Miss Lucy!" He levelled his axe at Jellal, the dark mage uncaring about the large cow.

"Thank you, Taurus."

"For a smooooch, of course!"

"Not the right time!"

It was then that Simon stepped forward, casting a veil of darkness around them, leaving only the raging inferno inside one of the ice pillars to provide light.

Lucy silently crept forward, determined to get the armband from Jellal so Natsu would be free of his control. There was a muffled thump from somewhere on her left, and bitten off cry from Erza to her front. A couple more steps and her reaching hands brushed against Erza's arm.

"Erza! Do you know where Jellal and Simon went? This darkness, I can't see anything." Lucy asked in a hushed whisper.

Erza responded in kind, "best I can tell, Jellal was just thrown across the room. You might want to wait until the lights come back."

Lucy nodded, before realizing Erza couldn't see her. "Right."

There was a long pause, during which Jellal shouted something half indecipherable and Simon shouted back something to do with cows, and Taurus bit his lip to stop himself from screaming moo in response to Simons shout.

"Natsu was right in front of us, right?" Erza tried to nod, before realizing she both couldn't move and Lucy couldn't see her.

"Yes, he was. Careful, I don't know where the two of them are now."

Lucy nodded, not realizing Erza couldn't see her, and took a few tentative steps forward, carefully feeling her way across the ground and never lifting her feet too high, in the fear that she stepped on him.

It took what must have been a minute before she felt a chill permeate one of her boots, and there was the soft rustle of fabric.

She kneeled, reaching out so she could prop Natsu up. "Luce."

Biting back a yelp, Lucy almost shot to her feet before realizing it was only Natsu. "I thought you were unconscious! I almost screamed!"

"Sorry. Thought you knew, but I never really passed out in the first place. If I did, there's no doubt that Dragon Force would have faded."

She heard him quietly shift his weight forward. "Do me a favour and pretend I'm farther back than I am. If Jellal thinks I'm where I'm going we're probably screwed, I won't be able to feign unconsciousness again, not without him…"

"Where are you going?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"I'm going for those pillars."

"Why?"

"Listen, it doesn't matter now! So scoot back and let me do this!"

"… Fine. I want an explanation afterwards though."

There was no response, and the shifted her weight back and listened to the quiet sounds of battle and the rustle of clothing moving.

Natsu felt his hand connect to the base of one of his pillars just as the lights snapped back on. There was a moment as his eyes tried to adjust to the drastic change, and then his gaze focussed on the other side of the room just as Jellal let Simons body drop.

Wiping his hands as if he just finished dealing with a particularly nasty piece of garbage, he grinned at them. "Alright! Who's next?"

Erza let out a dangerously shuddering gasp, and began her struggle against the spell anew. "Jellal, you _bastard_!"

Jellal held up his hands, a mockery of a pleasant smile on his face. "Now now, Scarlet. Let's not agitate ourselves, unless you want pinky over th- …where'd he go."

Natsu pressed his palm to the earth pillar, before glancing back to the electricity pillar. It was just barely in reach, if he pushed his bad shoulder past its limit. But Jellal was actively seeking him out now, there wasn't really any time to think it over.

So Natsu moved, freezing his bad palm to the pillar to keep it there while he stretched for the electricity. He felt the wound split further, and almost gave himself away with a cry of pain. Sinking his teeth into his lip to stop himself from crying out again, he just barely managed to hook his fingers on the edge of the pillar.

Just as Jellal made eye contact. "Ah, there you a- what are you doing, pawn."

Natsu grinned at him, a dribble of blood from where he had bit his lip making its way down his chin. "I'm nobodies pawn, not anymore. **Secret Art- Frozen Morning-Glory: Icy Dragons Earthen Lighting!** "

Electricity exploded away from Natsu, shards of rock gleaming in the yellowed light. The attack bounded towards Jellal, the dark mage desperately trying to pull away- but a single man held nothing in the eyes of a Dragon, let alone five.

Somewhere, unseen, Ultear let out a scream of frustration.

Quietly, the armband clattered to the floor.

* * *

Natsu grimaced, barely half awake but awake enough to tell they were on a boat, sailing away from the demolished tower. Oddly enough, he felt no motion sickness, exhaustion had ground it's way through his bones. Through his half lidded eyes, he made out the blurred forms of Gray and Erza, the two mages slumped against each other in sleep.

It was just about then he realized his head was on someones lap. Lucy threaded her fingers through his hair, a gentle smile on her features. "You're awake, huh? Let me know next time you plan to do something that stupid. The Tower pulled you in after you collapsed and Erza had to dive in after you."

There was a pause, the silence only filled by the gentle running of the motor and lapping of the waves.

"I thought we lost you."

Natsu smiled wryly. "Guess I'm not meant to fight on my own."

Lucy gave a weak laugh. "Oh, that reminds me." She paused to dig around in her back pocket, pulling out the coveted armband. "You dropped this."

Natsu gave half crazed laugh, and if it turned into a sob halfway through, well. No one really noticed.

* * *

Milliana shifted awkwardly under the intense gaze of her old friend. "Are you certain, Milliana? You can still see the world if you join Fairy Tail."

The cat obsessed Mage fixed her eyes on the grave they had made for Simon. "I know Erzy. Me and Wally are grateful for your offer, but we aren't ready to be tied down again, nyaa~."

Erza wrapped her arm around Milliana's shoulders. "I'm glad you asked instead of just leaving."

Milliana smiled gently.

* * *

It was around noon when Juvia stepped into the resort room they had taken over, a small suitcase in her grasp. The water mage shifted, seeming to gather courage for something, before beginning to shout "Juvia wants to join your guild! Juvia has never had f-friends before!"

"We'd be more than happy to have you at our guild, Juvia!" Lucy cheered, pumping an arm in the air excitedly.

Gray shifted in his seat. "I don't see any problem with you joining."

Erza, who let Lucy finish checking the bandaging around two of her fingers before speaking, smiled warmly at the water mage. "We always welcome new members."

* * *

The sight that met their eyes as they stepped into Magnolia was one they would not soon forget.

People on the streets muttered, about how they had been away for a month and wouldn't know.

Not one of them reacted.

Because the Guild Hall was _destroyed._ Great iron bars glimmered from where they pierced the building, the cold metal making for a grotesque sight. Fairy Tail looked sad and broken, sagged on the foreign metal. There was a beat of horror filled silence

and Natsu turned and ran.

* * *

 _I'm considering changing the description for this story. But I can't really think of anything… Anyone got suggestions?_

 _I reverse wrote this chapter. Started at the end and worked my way up to last chapter. Man that was weird. But it subverted my writers block so hey_ ~ShadeShadow


	24. Attack

_I've been playing a lot of Pokémon Heartgold lately. Really struggling to take down the fighting type gym… I will take down that damned Poliwhirl eventually!_

* * *

 _Phoenix(1), Phantom Lord has arrived! As well as something else! Yeah, I think it's definitely an idea with a lot of potential if you go about it the right way. If there's any questions you have about the Legend of Zelda, just let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Yea, her story is pretty good isn't it. Ooh, there's an idea. I might mess with some of the wording a little, but that's looking good. That kinda reminds me of a joke (setting the bar that is) Natsu and Gray walked into a bar. Happy laughed and walked under it. Phew, yes, no death please. I don't want to be convicted of murder!_

 _Guest, Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, The tower is finished, no feat was small, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, Ur has gone missing, Natsu dropped the ball, All the Kings horses and all the Kings men, Phantom Lords starting, and it's starting then, couldn't put Humpty together again, by the time I'm done writing, I'll update by ten! Phantom Lord has begun! Ur… We'll find out about Ur and Lyon probably at a later date. Hmm, there's a point. I could do that, and also a separate story. See, I'm thinking for the main plot of it Natsu learns Crash Magic from Guildarts like maybe a week after joining the Guild? And then because he ends up so much stronger than everyone else he sort of isolates himself, and then because Lucy joins he's slowly drawn back into the guild, and then I'd push the plot from there. No? Yes? Eh, I'll figure something out. I actually have a couple chapters prewritten, but I like to leave time for people to review before I update. Wait no no exploding people I don't want to be an accidental murderer._

 _Phoenix(2), I literally just found out that Phoenix was pronounced 'fee-nix' instead of 'foe-nix' and I feel like my whole life has been a lie. My school is gonna be starting up right near my birthday. Lucky me! Yea ma- dud- friendo! I'll crank out a few chapters for ya, plus all those toppings. Hey, I'm never one to say no to toppings. Toppings are great. (Not as awesome as you reviews!)_

* * *

"Natsu!" Lucy tore her eyes away from the guild, turning on her heel to grasp for the fleeing DragonSlayer, but she was too late. By the time she finished calling his name, he was gone.

Erza, too focused on the image of their broken guild to care for Natsu's sudden flight, marched forwards, her rage at Fairy Tail having of been treated this way simmering under a calm mask.

Gray didn't bother hiding his fury.

Lucy cast her gaze down the street for a moment longer, searching for a shock of pink hair, but finding nothing. Shaking her head, she grasped Juvia's arm. "C'mon. We should make sure everyone is alright."

* * *

' _Dammit!'_ Natsu ducked around a corner, his senses reaching for anything out of the ordinary. Or, rather, anything other than the scent of iron that flooded the town. Unable to pick out anything off, other than the obvious, the DragonSlayer continued on, stopping every once in a while to check for any strange activity.

' _I should have known! Every time!_ ' He was close to the border of Magnolia now, only a slight hill and a couple houses between him and a dense forest.

Checking, and then double checking, he ducked out of his shelter and made a break for the forestry. Just before he could escape, however, a wall of runes slammed into existence in front of him.

Barely managing to stop in time, he squinted at the characters. "Not familiar- dammit!"

' _Of course they'd cut off any escape. Probably learned from last time… I wonder what group it is this time? If it's who I think it is, Fairy Tail is in big trouble._ ' Natsu spun on his heel, and dashed back into the narrow alleyways between houses.

He wouldn't make capture easy.

* * *

Even as bad as the top half of Fairy Tail looked, the basement was completely untouched (unless one counted the brawl occurring in one corner of the guild, but that was to be expected), and no one looked hurt. (Except for those participating in the brawl.)

Mira turned to them, smiling brightly, watching as the fury gradually drained from Grays face. "You're back! Have a nice time at the resort?"

Erza smiled weakly, even as her eyes betrayed her. "Not really. What happened to the guild hall?"

"Oh, that? Just some act of vandalism. It happened during the middle of the night, so no one was hurt, thankfully. Master- he wanted to see you as soon as you got back by the way- says we can use this as a chance to renovate!" Mira placed the mug of beer she was carrying down next to Macao, and accepted his tip. "Master is over in the wine cellar."

Lucy stood back for a moment, long enough to introduce Juvia to Mira before following Erza and Gray.

Stepping into the wine cellar held a completely different atmosphere than the warmth the guild basement had.

Makarov was standing on a barrel, his back to them and his arms folded. "Is Natsu with you?"

"No, he took off as soon as we saw the guild hall."

Makarov looked down. "It may be as I feared then. I did some research into the attack, after all we haven't provoked any dark guilds lately. Then I remembered the crimes the magic council accused Natsu of, and I looked into his past… It's best to look for yourselves."

Turning around and unfolding his arms, the Master revealed a recording Lacrima. Feeding it a little of his magic to get it to play, he turned his gaze down to his feet, unwilling to watch it again.

Shown on the flickering projection was the grand opening of the Heartfilia branch of commerce in Bosco. Jude Heartfilia, the head of the house, smiled to the adoring public before taking a comically large pair of scissors and cutting a ribbon stretched in front of a grand building.

It was Lucy who noticed it first. "Master, you don't mean- there's no way that could be…"

By Jude's right side stood a rather recognizable pink haired mage. Natsu stared out into the crowd, any life his gaze may have held missing, and his posture stiff.

The only time Lucy caught any movement from him was when Jude slung his arm around his shoulders, causing Natsu to flinch violently, though he quickly passed it off as a sneeze. But there was a tint of fear in his gaze that hadn't been there before.

With a final shudder, the recording shut off.

"What the hell was that, old man?" Grays voice betrayed his shock, even as he put on a mask of anger.

Makarov tucked the Lacrima into a pocket, turning his saddened gaze to the trio of mages. "An old recording. From what I can gather, Natsu is the heir to the Heartfilia estate, and Jude terrifies him."

Erza clenched her hands into fists, anger pooling in her stomach and twisting it. "You think this attack is an attempt to get Natsu back."

It wasn't a question.

"We aren't just gonna let him go, are we? He still has stuff he has to answer for, like what that damn Magic Council said! 'Sides, we can't just let one of our friends go back to someone they're scared of!" Gray slammed his hand on the barrel, meeting the old mans gaze with furious intensity.

"I know that, Gray, and don't think I don't. Natsu is one of our own, and we protect our own."

"What do you suggest we do? Natsu is probably long gone by now…" Lucy murmured.

Makarov sighed. "Even if he is, he's still a member of our guild. I want you to look for him on every job you go on, and when you find him bring him back."

* * *

Natsu tasted the air, the familiar feeling of lightning outweighing the smell of iron.

Around the city of Magnolia, Lacrima imbued with lightning floated into the air.

* * *

 _Definitely shorter than last chapter. Guess that's to be expected, considering I spent an entire day on last chapter and I wrote this one in a couple hours but hey, it's Phantom Lord_ and _the Thunder Legion! How many of you saw that coming? I imagine quite a few. Eh._ ~ShadeShadow


	25. Flee

_Ironically, it was the move Take Down that took down Poliwhirl. On a separate note, for Phantom Lord I'm going to aim for updating twice a week, if only because this arc has been so long awaited. (I might miss out on some weeks though, so apologies in advance.)_

* * *

 _Phoenix(1), who knows what they're doing? Ooh, we get close to that, but one of those three is having none of it. Fairy Tail knows! Hallelujah! Well, granted, they (and we) have barely scratched the tip of the iceberg but hey. You're Phoenix, right? No worries about your mind burning out then, if it does then a new one will just rise from the ashes. Ooh, we're getting fancy vocabulary now. Incredible! Extravagant! (Oh no you used stupendous, I'm out of fancy words now. Uh oh.)_

 _Guest, (hey you chose my childhood favourite! Yay!) Hickory dickory dock, Laxus is a shock, the mouse ran up the clock, Gajeel will start to mock, the clock struck one, we're gonna have fun, the mouse ran down, Jude should be a clown, hickory dickory dock. I sure hope Natsu starts trusting Fairy Tail. Considering some of the stuff I have planned, I should hope you guys aren't calm. Haha._

 _Otaku789, is this soon enough? I should hope!_

* * *

Something was off. Other than the evident, the attack on the guild and the recording of Natsu, but something had happened to put a damper on the ever cheery mood of the guild.

Gray stepped out of the wine cellar, freezing in the doorway for a moment before being shoved out of the way by Erza. But then she froze too, leaving Lucy to try and peer over her shoulder and Makarov behind them all.

It was if Reedus had managed to capture a fully 3D image of the guild, some peoples faces frozen happily, others confused, and others still scared or angry. But one thing remained constant, every single on of them was turned to stone.

"Who did this?" Erza let her magic swell, a threatening sign to any mages in the area.

Makarov enlarged his hands, and gently moved Erza out of the way, the red headed warriors stiff kneed in her rising anger.

And then his face darkened. "I'll deal with the ones who have done this to my children. Erza, Lucy, Gray, I want you three to go find Natsu. If the attacks are still happening while he's gone, we might as well have him here."

"Gramps… You kick their asses." Gray tore his eyes away from his frozen guildmates, reassured by the guild masters words, if only just.

Lucy shuffled around a table, avoiding eye contact with anyone. Seeing eyes that usually danced with life and light dull and cold would likely haunt her for days. And then something furry attacked her foot.

"Lushie! You're baaack!" Happy wailed, rubbing his face against her leg, disregarding of how the celestial mage had leapt about five feet into the air. "I was so scared! I thought everyone was turned to stone!"

"Happy! You're ok! Did you see who did this?" Lucy asked, after the initial shock wore off.

"Yeah! She was even bigger than you, Lushie!" Happy relinquished his hold on her leg to make the best wide sweeping gesture he could with is little paws.

Lucy contemplated punting the cat out a window, before remembering that there were no windows to speak of. "Can you just… Go tell Makarov what you saw."

"Aye sir!" Happy perked up considerably, giving a mock salute before sprouting wings and flying towards where Makarov was carefully rescuing Mirajane from the precarious position she was in.

Steeling herself, Lucy set her sights on the exit again, making her way up the stairs, careful to avoid any patches of ice Gray had left behind.

* * *

Gajeel crunched on the steel, the metal bending easily between his teeth. A dark glare was set in his red eyes, and the Iron DragonSlayer sniffed the air, searching for the scent he'd been tracking before the damned static had clawed its way through town.

He was half tempted to smash the damned Lacrima in the sky, but it would no doubt have a fail safe against that. 'Sides, he was weaker to electricity. Not that he'd willingly admit that to anyone.

Half aware of Aria on the other side of town, the man still had the infuriatingly strong smell of salt reeking off of him, Gajeel shifted on his high perch, on a tree near the centre of the city.

Reaching for another bolt, he munched on it while searching for their target. He'd never really liked doin' jobs like these. A whole lotta nothing but looking. 'Sides, it wasn't what he joined Phantom Lord for.

Gajeel wanted to be able to fight when and where he wanted, disregarding the rules, not search for some runaway brat. The kids parent or whatever was probably worried sick, ta hire a dark guild ta find 'em.

But then the guild masters word was law, no matter how he disliked it.

He reached back for another scrap of metal, but frowned as he found his fingers empty. Before he could contemplate his loss long however, a new scent reached his nose, through the cloying electricity.

It was the slightest burn to the air, like smoke from a campfire or coal. Even if it wasn't the usually stuffy smell of some rich kid, it was something new.

With a cackle, he crashed to the ground and sauntered off at his own pace, the scent steadily growing stronger.

* * *

Natsu bit back a swear, something he seemed to be doing a lot of lately. Two mages were closing in on him from both sides, though if he were to take a guess neither of then realized they were doing it.

Then again, that concentration of the iron smell had accurately followed his last five turns.

The smell of static on the other side was just ever so different to the smell lingering over the town, a difference only something someone who had lived with what was essentially the living embodiment of electricity could pick out.

He dug his fingers into the side of the Cardia Cathedral, silently cursing himself out again for being so stupid. It had been stupid to head to the centre of town, and even stupider to isolate himself away from any convenient alleyways.

By now, it was far too late to make a dash to the houses and stores lining the street, he'd be spotted right away.

There was only really one thing left that he could do, technically two but he wasn't going to let them catch him, not now. Natsu fuelled fire to his feet, the familiar warmth wrapping itself around his shins as he punched himself upwards, the heat off the flames burning him a way up.

It was a drastic measure, last time he had done it it had cost a couple hundred in property damage and the footprints melted into the walls would be an easy enough trail for anyone to follow, but it did what it needed.

As soon as he could reach the rooftop, the fire around his feet disappeared, and Natsu pulled himself up, running over the tile until he reached the other side. He spun around just in time to see a black figure using an iron pole to boost him up to the rooftop, before loosing a Fire Dragons Roar that propelled him away from the Cathedral and back into the streets.

It was a surefire signal to his location, but as soon as he reached the ground he would be able to start running again, and hopefully lose any pursuers.

Or, at least, that was the plan until a flying blue cat caught on the back of his jacket.

* * *

Laxus eyed the rooftop of Cardia Cathedral with disdain. Evergreen must have missed some guild members. He'd have to have Freed account for that, and with a slight murmur the tiki doll Bixslow had sent with him soared away.

A huge fiery plume bloomed off one side of the building, an impressive display of power. Laxus almost considered challenging the weakling who made it to a battle, but a fly with something different is still just a fly.

A black figure became visible when the flames died down, and it remained for a moment before bounding off.

Laxus wrinkled his nose, the place now stunk of iron and campfires, before stepping into the Cathedral. Makarov would know where to find him.

* * *

 _For a visual representation of how Natsu managed to run up a building, look up Endeavor My Hero Academia on YouTube, and click on the one by ErasedXoldo. Please note, this clip does have spoilers for season two of the show. Also you can probably find me in the comments somewhere._

 _So. This is happening now. Wonder how Natsu is gonna get himself out of this mess?_ ~ShadeShadow


	26. Waiting

_Getting reviews from you guys is kinda weird cause I'll update at like three in the morning and everyone will be all over it, but if I update at like eight no one notices. Should I just update at three from now on?_

* * *

 _Phoenix, Gahaha! Gajeel! I have so many plans for you, you lump of metal! And Laxus too! Granted this mishmash arc wasn't actually what I initially had planned for Laxus but ey. It's workin. Evergreen spares no one. Unless they're under a table. Or in a back room. Or something else I won't specify. Jude is a real butt-muffin isn't he? A real stubborn butt-muffin. Honestly I'm not fully decided on if he'll give up or not. Depends on the retribution I will probably maybe someday unload on him. Well I mean Juvia_ is _currently a slightly damp rock, so I mean I don't think she's gonna be doing much. Not yet. Actually, it's not really something I hear often, more so I read it often but hey. (My English teacher tells me my writing leaves something to be desired. Excuse you lady but I don't see your stories with one hundred followers. I don't see one of your stories that you half regret writing on a school recommend archive. Give me more than half an hour to write something adequate dammit!)_

 _Guest, Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a bucket of water, with what the authors got planned someone might-as-well as shot her, Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after, really truly now what does Laxus' plan even matter? Ok, I'll admit that was a tough one. The last lines kinda weak too cause Laxus' plan definitely matters. Gah. School. Don't remind me. Mine starts like a week before my birthday. Couldn't start a week later, nooo. I've probably overindulged myself considering I've done lots of reading but not nearly enough writing…_

 _Otaku789, thank you! Man it almost physically pained me to compare Natsu with Endeavor but I managed it (Never again never again). Well, we'll just have to wait and see, eh? This is soon, right?_

* * *

Happy grunted at the weight in his paws, flapping his wings furiously before adjusting and finding a wind current to carry them on.

Natsu struggled for a moment, before realizing it was a friend who had caught him and not an enemy. Or, at least, he hoped. It wouldn't be the first time a friend turned him over.

"Natsu! You're really heavy!"

"Well I didn't ask you to catch me!"

No, it wasn't very likely that Happy would hand him over.

"No, but Lushie did! She told me to look for you and bring you to her." There was silence between the two for a moment, before "She liiiiiiiiiikes you."

"Just hurry up and put me down!"

* * *

Lucy crossed her arms, a chill had set into the air after the heatwave from the Cathedral. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if Gray was in the area.

"Oh? Looks like I missed one." A voice drawled from a side alley, a glint of light catching Lucy's eyes, which she quickly slammed shut.

"Evergreen! It was you? Why are you doing this?!" Lucy snuck a hand down to her keys, the magical items warming in her grip.

"Oh Lucy dear. Laxus has seen what a weak guild Fairy Tail is, he just wants to make it stronger. And if he has to eliminate the weaker members… Well. The Thunder Legion is at his back."

"That's… That's horrible! The guild needs to work together right now, not fight itself!" Lucy took half a step forward, still keeping her eyes carefully closed. It was easier to make eye contact then one would think.

"The attack on the guild is nothing more than proof of how weak Makarov has let it become. People should fear our guild, not attack it. And not even fighting back? Pitiful."

"Like you would know! You don't even know why the guild was attacked!"

"Of course I do, dear."

That make Lucy take a step back, her grip on her keys loosening. Out of instinct, her eyes shot open. "You-"

A brilliant flash of light flooded her vision, cutting her off and forcing her eyes closed again.

"Lions Brilliance!"

* * *

Freed sent the doll away with a wave of his hand, frowning at the news. He had hoped that it wouldn't come to doing more than setting up the barrier, but if Laxus requested more runes of him he was in no position to say no.

The hilt of his sword was comfortable in his hand as he stalked to the nearest wide open street, thinking over the specific runes he would use.

Electrocution sounded nice.

* * *

Gajeel growled as the scent he had been tracking lifted off into the air, a thick blast of wind lifting any traces of it away. It was just his luck too, that the scent happened to be that of their targets. Someone would probably yell at him later. Eh, not like he cared much.

No, what he did care about was no one had bothered to inform him they were up against a DragonSlayer, of all things. Dammit, he had questions!

Gajeel settled back, watching the cat lift the target farther away, keeping one red eye out for their landing. He could just chase the brat down once he was on the ground.

Running back over what happened, in case he had to prevent it from happening again, one thing stood out. That Roar had been far less powerful than it should have been, and it seemed to take more magic than it should have.

Something was wrong with this scene.

Eh, not like he cared.

* * *

Bixslow laughed, surveying the town from the precarious position he had chosen, on top of the guild. Two of his babies joined him, swinging around as their laughter mixed with his.

It was a glorious moment, the barrier around the town strong and the lighting Lacrima hanging in the air. There was no way the old man would say no, not with Laxus hanging the lives of the guild members and the townsfolk over his head.

Plus, the breeze felt good on his tongue.

Except, there was the slightest hint of strawberries in the air.

Bixslow toppled backwards as Erza shot upwards, the tiki dolls shooting under his feet to keep him in the air.

Titania balanced on the spot Bixslow had just been, a sword in each hand, one levelled at his throat. "Bixslow! Where is Laxus?"

Bixslow let his tongue hang out. "Why should I tell you? Babies!"

Erza leapt to the side, falling for a moment before the wings of her Black Wing armour caught her. Green blasts of energy shot towards her, forcing her to take wild evasive manoeuvres.

A large flat blade swapped in for her two smaller ones, the side of it polished to perfection.

There was a rumour that spread throughout mage guilds for quite awhile. While the details were lost to time, and the characters changed from group to group, the fundamentals of it remained the same. It was nothing more than frivolous fantasy, of course, there was no way that a swordsman, no matter how good of a swordsman they were, could deflect a laser with the flat of their blade.

Except Erza had just deflected five.

Bixslow took a step backwards, tumbling for a moment before his doll caught his foot, magic snapping to his eyes.

"M-my baby!" Wooden chips from the doll rained down, doing nothing more than adding to the mess that was the guild hall.

Erza straightened, her blade showing little difference if not for the charred marks that now adorned it.

"Now. Where is Laxus."

With a shaking finger, Bixslow pointed her away. As soon as the fearsome warrior was gone, Bixslow sent a soul over to a toy shop, uncaring for what it possessed so long as it got back soon. He didn't want to be around when Erza found out he sent her the wrong way.

* * *

Lucy stumbled backwards, nearly collapsing onto the pavement before a hand caught hers. "Cmon, let's get out of here."

"L-Loke? But I thought you hated me?" Peeling her eyes open, Lucy finds her vision black from the bright light earlier. Even so, she can make out a vague outline of the man leading her.

"Sorry. I've just had a… bad… experience with Celestial Wizards before." They turn sharply, Lucy almost loosing her grip before adjusting.

"Oh, thank goodness. I promise, I won't do whatever the other Celestial Wizard did."

"Isn't it kinda tough to promise you won't do something when you don't know what that something was?"

"Well it had to have been something horrible to make you avoid all Celestial Wizards."

"Heh. Good point, Princess."

Lucy didn't have time to question Loke's choice in nickname, or how the only other person (well, Spirit, but something told her Loke wouldn't take kindly to being compared to one) to call her that was Virgo, as Evergreen chose that moment to catch up.

"Fairy Machine Gun: Leprechaun!"

* * *

 _I've been doing some research into constellations and man are they interesting. My current favourite would have to be Altair the Eagle._ ~ShadeShadow


	27. Mark

_People seem to really like last chapter? I mean I was debating over posting it, because I felt like I should have done something else or written it differently but you guys really liked it, so I guess it's for the best? I'm going to be completely honest here, I kind of forgot about the twice a week update schedule, so hopefully we can get back on track. As an apology, have the next two chapters mashed into one._

* * *

 _Phoenix, honestly I would have loved to keep going but I had to give myself somewhere to build off of. But I admit, it really does suck when you're really into something and then you're snapped out of it. I look forward to seeing how your predictions match up with what's going to happen, so feel free to share! By the time this chapter is posted I'll likely be back in school, wish me luck! To be fair, if I'm not interested in the subject I'm writing about then my writing quality is going to fall quite a bit, unfortunately. And hey, status doesn't matter to when it comes to personal stuff! (I mean if a police officer threatens to strangle me over an (admittedly) terrible pun then I'm gonna take it a whole lot more seriously then a teacher.) I'll do my best!_

 _Guest, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, people's ideas tend to stick, Jack jumped over a candlestick, though some of them are as dense as a brick. Haha, hopefully I'll keep you going! Honestly if you wanted to use a Genie wish then you should make so I have all future chapters prewritten! Then there'd be no long times without updates or instances of writers block coming back!_

 _Otaku789, oh wow, you're happy eh? Yeah! Positivity!_

 _Phoenix(2), no worries, my friend! Trust me I'm not gonna ditch this in the middle of an important arc. I've gotten attached now so if I ditch it I'd probably emotionally damage myself and eventually come back._

 _Guest(2), UPDATE!_

 _Phoenix(3), oh yeah! Fixed iPad! Oh no! Cracked phone! And yes! Blending these two chapters smoothly was admittedly tough, but I did it! Haha yeah, I'm actually really surprised at the response for last chapter cause I didn't like it too much. As of current, it's before my birthday. But hey, I appreciate the sentiment! Thanks! Yeah I'm kinda hoping for a new phone or laptop or something cause all of my devices are like… My iPod is three years old? And my iPad. Oh gee. I have no clue how old this thing is._

* * *

Happy barely struggled over another rooftop, the wind that had clutched at his wings and begun to drag him down to earth letting up for a moment before returning full force, the gale tearing at his feathers and whipping his fur around wildly.

In his grasp, Natsu scanned for their unseen assailant, the powerful wind ripping away any chance the DragonSlayer had of locating him by scent.

"I'm going to try and fly higher!" Even though he was shouting, the little cats words were torn away by the near tornado surrounding them, leaving Natsu unprepared for the sudden jerk upwards as Happy strained himself.

Like pushing through a sheet of plastic, there was a moment where the resistance increased to near unbearable levels, and then vanished, leaving the two of them to rocket into the sky.

"Aw yeah!" Happy cheered, "Now to get to Lushie!"

"Happy look out!"

Unbeknownst to the cat, he had been so caught up in his victory that it went unnoticed that he had come alarmingly close to one of the thunder Lacrima in the sky. As if sensing potential danger to its form, the lightening magic lashed out, some of it being pulled away by Natsu but an alarming amount making it to its intended target.

Happy let out a shriek as the magic ran its course through his body before being pulled away by Natsu, who managed to cradle the little cat even as they began to fall.

A snarl working its way out of his throat, Natsu twisted in midair, letting out a blast of flame, which barely slowed their descent. Gritting his teeth, the DragonSlayer barely had time to flip again before crashing into a roof, cushioning the unconscious Happy with his body.

The cloud of debris that had risen into the air seconds after impact was quickly swept away, before a rather imposing figure stepped over the hole in the ceiling.

While he couldn't exactly look down at them, as he had bandages over his eyes, he managed to simulate the effect well enough, enough to send a chill down Natsu's spine even as he tried to regain his bearings.

"Such tragedy, a child leaving his parent and harming those around him."

"The hell do you know about me!?"

"Tragedy, tragedy!" Aria let a breeze lift him off the roof and into the ruined building, either not hearing or not caring about Natsu's question.

Natsu barely managed to back up a little, sort of a half crab walk with one arm still cradling Happy, but he didn't make it far. With a rough twinge of pain, his shoulder gave out on him and it was as he crashed into the carpet he realized his shoulder wasn't quite as healed as he, or anyone else, had thought.

Happy let out a muffled groan, the sudden movements agitating his lightening burns.

Barely, he managed to shove the little cat under a nearby desk, well aware that his assailant likely wouldn't bother with him. It wasn't the best hiding place, under a table in some house he had never been to before, but there was something about the smell that was familiar, a tinge of gunpowder in the air he could have sworn he had smelt in the guild before.

And… Strawberries?

Erza crashed through the ceiling just as Arias fist closed around Natsu's arm, the large man grabbing the bad shoulder.

There was a moment of silence, during which a sharp sting worked its way into Natsu's arm, a bone deep ache that seemed to rip something away from him. Roughly, Aria tossed Natsu over his shoulder, clasping something around one of his wrists that seemed to weaken him, and then Erza was spinning into action.

Her dual blades bit into the table leg Aria's breeze had tossed in the way, the first sword cleaving through it smoothly but the second ending up wedged deep into the study wood.

"Oh, how tragic. Such a young warrior! Tragedy! I cannot grace you with a fight. Such tragedy!"

Erza didn't bother with a response, quickly swapping her usual armour for her Cheetah armour, counting on the speed to give her the upper edge. A heartbeat passed, and then the dual blades were replaced with an ornate spear.

Aria barely had half a moment to recover himself, before Erza was right in front of him again, the spear halfway through its movement towards his middle. A gust of wind shot towards her hands, and while the tip of the spear left a long scratch over the mans rather large stomach it wasn't quite the impaling she was hoping for.

Another gust of wind ripped through the room, picking up dust from the roof and stirring it until he disappeared from view, something that took barely a second. Even as Erza lunged forwards again, Aria was gone.

Launching herself into the sky after him, the red headed warrior swapped into her Black Wing armour, the steady wings catching on the strong gust Aria had left behind, and she only just barely managed to catch up when she slammed into a wall of runes.

Aria turned back towards her, intentionally letter her catch sight of Natsu's right shoulder. Which was _blank._

* * *

Sharp needles littered the street, the ones farther back dissipating and providing more fuel for Evergreens attack, creating a continuous rain of the things on the half blind duo.

Lucy, who by this point had recovered just enough sight to see outlines of things, grasped for her keys, miraculously managing not to drop any even as Loke tugged around, switching from shelter to shelter.

It was presumable that Evergreen was just as blind as Lucy was, meaning the woman was just shooting randomly instead of following the two of them. Unfortunately, that made it very hard to predict where she would angle her shots next. Loke, unknown to Lucy, had almost run them into the attack several times, each time barely managing to stop.

Finally, her hand settled on the key she was looking for. "Loke, can you take me to the closest body of water?"

"Feel like taking a dip, Princess? I'm not adverse to seeing you in a swimsuit but this is hardly the time- oof!" Lucy dug her elbow into his gut for a moment longer, still managing to have unerring accuracy even while unseeing.

"Not for that! I have to summon one of my spirits!"

"Aquarius, right?"

Lucy didn't have time to respond, as Loke was already pulling her in a different direction, leaving the blonde celestial mage unaware of the needles that had shredded the shop canopy they had ducked behind.

They continued on this frantic pattern of running and dodging and half seen shapes until Loke slammed to a halt, and the sound of sluggish water echoed off canal walls. "Alright, Princess. I trust you can find the water from here?"

Lucy nodded, and cautiously started forwards, keeping her experience of blindness from the Tower of Heaven in her mind and feeling the ground with her shoes. Loke's hand slipped from hers, and behind her she heard shouting. That was something to worry about later, though.

The tip of her boot met with thin air, and Lucy stepped back before carefully crouching, and reaching down until water bubbled past her fingers.

"Open! Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!" The familiar doorbell sound rang out, and then a sort of bubbling sound.

"Brat! I was in the middle of a date!"

Lucy blinked, it was sort of disorienting to not know when her spirit had made it out of the gate. Squinting, she could just make out the outline of Aquarius against black.

"Sorry, this won't take long, I promise. Can you just take care of the lady in the green dress over… there, I think?" As it turned out Lucy was pointing in the wrong direction, but I was a little hard to miss the twister Loke had whipped up with one of his rings.

If Lucy could see properly, she would have seen the flash of recognition and then thought on Aquarius' face, but as it was the Celestial mage was oblivious.

"Alright. But just this one time, and you better not interrupt me in the middle of a date again!"

"Uh, y-yes ma'am."

If the resulting swirl of water just missed Lucy, well. It wasn't like there was anyone around to _see_ it.

It was as she was being pulled back through the gate that Aquarius made a snap decision. It wasn't like she wouldn't have done the same thing _he_ had, if it came down to it. Besides, surely the Celestial Spirit King was being just a little unfair with his punishment?

"Hey, brat. Watch out for the Lion, Le-" and her gate snapped shut, perhaps a tad faster than she thought it would.

* * *

 _It's still Sunday, right? Which is the last day of the week, right? And this is two chapters mashed into one? So technically, managed to uphold the twice a week thing right? Ha! Oh, I guess I forgot to mention the day my birthday was on? Whoops. Anyway, I was born on the seventeenth! Feel free to wish me a happy birthday then! Or don't. That'll be fine. Oh yeah. Regarding this chapter, you may be looking at it an think, 'hey, isn't that too short for two chapters?' I had to cut a couple things out to make it flow smoother. Trim the fat, yes? So, we'll have more later. ~_ ShadeShadow


	28. The Lions Lies

_So I had to create a character for my creative writing class, and so I made this really eccentric skeleton who likes to wear top hats, except I forgot to describe the clothing he was wearing so when I handed him in, I got the sheet back with 'NAKED' written in big red ink and underlined three times. Needless to say, I lost it._

* * *

 _Phoenix(1), yeah, you caught on! Gee, I do wonder what that could be about. Real mystery. Well, the guild does still have to deal with a rebellious thunder legion, so who knows, the rescue may be a little delayed. Why thank you! Now I'm wondering what life is gonna be like when this is finished…_

 _Guest(1), Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the story arc won't turn out to be little, the cow jumped over the moon, these reviews have turned into a real monsoon, the little dog laughed to see such fun, Natsu has really been on the run, and the dish ran away with the spoon. Aw man you guys are too much. How did I ever manage without you?_

 _Otaku789(1), yeah! Two chapters! Oh oh, guess I'm not off the hook this time… oh well. I tried. (Aria was in the house! But then he flew away!)_

 _Otaku789(2/3/4), **claws way up from river of the dead** whoo! Update!_

 _Phoenix(2), I tried. Ah well. Unfortunately this isn't four chapters in one, but hey it's the thought that counts right? Right? Tenrou… I have a huge emotional hitter moment planned for Tenrou._

 _Phoenix(3), Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy (belated)birthday, happy birthday to me!_

 _Guest(1), your wish is my command!_

 _Phoenix(4), favourite anime, huh? Mine are (in order from most to least), Gintama, My Hero Academia, Noragami, Fairy Tail, One Punch Man, and Mob Psycho 100. Oh, but I really like Fullmetal Alchemist and Blue Exorcist too… aargh there's to many to choose from. Gintama is always number one though. I'm watching Haikyuu! right now, and once I'm finished with it I'm planning to watch Kuroko no Basuke, so it's good to know I'm in for a good show. Haha._

* * *

Erza slammed her fist against the barrier, gritting her teeth as it burned for a moment before bouncing off. "Dammit! You fiend!"

"Such a tragedy… Truly, a tragedy." Aria wiped away a fat tear, before letting himself drop into foliage, the winds slowing his descent enough that he didn't break anything.

It was about then that Natsu managed to shake off the dizziness, and began to struggle against Aria, who had started using his wind as well as his strong arm to keep the DragonSlayer over his shoulder.

Metal bit into flesh and Natsu let out a sharp cry, finally noticing the metal band Aria had secured around his wrist. The ringlet had runes carved deep into its surface, most of them forbidding magic and a few forbidding sudden movements or struggle.

It was a very, very familiar bracelet.

* * *

Lucy gave the air where Aquarius had been a curious look, she had been saying something about one of the other Zodiac keys. It was a little odd how she had been cut off like that, considering only she and her spirit had control over how long the gate remained open, and she'd been trying to keep the gate open, and it wasn't like Aquarius to cut herself off in the middle of a sentence…

She was jolted out of her musings by a rather loud wet plop next to her. It was also around then when she realized she could see more than just outlines, the only reminder of her previous blindness a dark border around her vision.

"Next time, tell her to at least try to not hit me?" He fishes around in his pocket, tugging out a handkerchief with a lipstick stain on it. Surprisingly, it's still mostly dry, and he dries his glasses off while waiting for Lucy to respond.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Leo- Loke." It was a simple enough mistake to make, the two names were quite similar and what Aquarius had said was still occupying her thoughts, but Loke froze.

"W-where did you hear that name?"

"Aquarius mentioned it, what's got you so on edge? It's not like I think you're a spirit or anything." Lucy laughed, it was a ridiculous notion that a spirit could keep their gate open as long as Loke had been around.

However, her friend didn't share in her amusement, quickly standing. "I uh… have to go."

"Hey, did I say anything wrong? Loke?"

"No, nothing Princess. I just remembered a… date. A date I have to go on."

"Wait, Loke, something's been bugging me. I could have sworn I saw you in the guild before Evergreen froze everyone, but once you showed up I imagined she must have missed you, but that couldn't be right, since you'd be helpless against her… erm, assets."

Loke fidgeted, slipping his glasses on to hide his eyes. "I like to think I'm more chivalrous than that, Princess."

"And that's another thing! The only other person- er, spirit, who calls me that is Virgo, a spirit who you shouldn't have met yet! Plus, Aquarius started talking about Leo the Lion as soon as she saw you! So what's going on?" Lucy stood, firm chocolate brown eyes meeting shaded olive green ones.

"I knew I should have tried to keep my distance from you. You do seem to have a sense for these things, Princess. Truth is… I'm dying."

Lucy staggered backwards, of all the things she had expected to hear, no matter how ludicrous they might have been, that wasn't on the list.

"Remember the Celestial Spirit Mage girlfriend I mentioned? She was jealous that I had other girls chasing after me, so she payed someone to place some runes on me that make it hard for me to be around other girls. However, the guy screwed up and now I'm not counted as fully human, and being around Celestial Spirit Mages starts draining my life force. I've become well acquainted with the Spirits, so I know who to avoid."

"I… that's horrible! She has no right to do such a thing to you! Is… is there anything I can do to help?"

"There is one thing, Princess." The lenses reflect light menacingly. "Stay away from me."

With that almost foreboding sentence, the playboy left, leaving Lucy to blink away the tears and darkness in her eyes.

* * *

Gray erected an ice shield, the clear blue almost instantly being carved away by purple runes.

Freed let a small frown mar his features, already etching out another spell. "Dark Écriture: Flames."

The usual purple of the spell melted into an angry red, the flames eating away at the ice.

Gray hissed through his teeth, materializing a pair of ice swords, using an ice ramp he had made earlier to launch himself away from the flames and towards Freed, who stepped back on his rooftop and raising his rapier to counter.

The blades clashed together, both mages pushing as hard as they could.

"Ice Make:"

"Dark Écriture:"

"Floor!"

"Pain!"

Ice coated the rooftop, the slippery substance stealing Freeds footing, and runes flung themselves through the air and carved themselves onto Grays skin.

He let out a cry of pain, dropping the blade and instinctively clutching at his shoulder, the place where the runes had latched on.

It was then that the Cathedral exploded.

* * *

 _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA_


	29. Numb

_So I got a new iPad for my birthday, and everything was great. You know, higher quality image, faster processing, all around better. The problem? While everything transferred over, they added a files app. The files app didn't connect to my Dropbox. I couldn't get any documents anywhere, it was hell getting it to work. I did eventually though! Even though it deleted everything. Whoops._

* * *

 _Guest(1), Eenie meenie minie moe, catch a Natsu by the toe, if he hollers don't let him go, eenie meenie minie moe. I've updated! The two chapters a week thing is hard man! How do people even keep to schedules? (My life is 100 percent not a mess hush) yeah, we've been waiting for an entire year, which still blows my mind a little. I think I've still got backup reserves of inspiration, but creating three brand new characters only to have to discard two of them completely is surprisingly draining. Thank you! You're welcome!_

 _Phoenix(1), well, I can guarantee as long as your prayers are for more chapters they're gonna be answered sooner or later! Really though, any world with you in it has got to be far from undeserving, eh? For Gintama, if it's not too late, I recommend skipping the first two episodes and then binge watching until Benizakura. It starts out rough but I'll be damned if it hasn't made me cry on multiple occasions. Either from laughing too hard or sadness. (If you want something that gets going quicker, My Hero Academia is for you) I'm gonna get a steady stream of chapters coming sooner or later, and as soon as I stabilize that I'm gonna work on improving the length. Until then, mini-chapters! Mini-chapters for everyone! Aaah, so many questions I can't answer! Oh no! At least, questions I can't answer right away. ASAP… does like two weeks count as asap? I don't think so… whoops._

 _Otaku789(1), I updated! :) Extra chapter? Maybe. I mean probably not but I will try! Even if it's a little late. Pressure. So. Much. Pressure._

 _Phoenix(2), ok here's what we do, 1. Try not to panic. 2. Panic a lot. 3. Panic even more. 4. Pretend nothing happened. Perfect plan right there. Yup._

 _Otaku789(2), it is the month of spoopy times! Once again, I'm gonna try for an extra chapter! You never know, it might be a trick! How would I even make a trick chapter- ooh. Thanks for the idea!_

 _Guest(2), :D_

 _Guest, (3), yeah, cmon me! Update! Update!_

 _Phoenix(3), Happy Thanksgiving! (I'm not late it's not twelve yet it's technically still thanksgiving hush)_

* * *

Lucy usually trusted those close to her. There was always a measure of trust that came with being in a guild with someone, no matter how little they interacted. A testament of that was Natsu, he'd barely been in the guild for a month, and she knew very little about him, but she already trusted him deeply.

A leap and you'll catch me type trust, but she wasn't fully sure if it went both ways… ("Guess I'm just not meant to fight on my own.")

But that was getting off track. To summarize, she trusted Loke, but something about his story was just… off. There were things he didn't address, and he seemed to forget she was good friends with a rune mage.

There was no way someone could botch a spell so badly that the receiver of the magic would no longer be counted as human. Not to mention, casting such a spell would take stupidly long, further eliminating the chance of such a mistake and leaving a very slim chance that he'd just let such a thing happen.

On top of being a powerful mage he was a total playboy, there was no way he'd agree to not being able to be around people.

Yet that was only scratching the surface of the problems with his story.

But there wasn't time to go over everything, so brushing her eyes clear of any tears, the Celestial spirit mage grasped one of her silver keys.

"Open, gate of the southern Cross! Crux!"

For the second time in a matter of minutes, the familiar doorbells rang out through the street, quickly followed by a loud snore.

"Crux!" No response. "Crux!" Still, nothing. "Wake up!"

If she had a newspaper, Crux would have been smacked upside the head with it several times by now. As it was, she had to do with shouting, because as it turned out his head was made of metal, and she wasn't too enthusiastic to break her hand on it again.

To be fair, she had been very young and very angry. Angry about something she really didn't wish to dwell on, so it was time for desperate measures.

So she pushed Crux into the river. He had given full permission for her to wake him up however she wished, when their contract was new, and she knew for a fact he could swim, so all she did was cross her arms and wait.

Surely enough, after a moment, Crux floated himself out of the burbling stream and shook himself dry. "Forgive me for that, Miss Lucy. I was having a particularly fascinating dream."

"Listen, I'm sorry to wake you but this is important. What can you tell me about Leo the Lion?"

* * *

Rubble from the ruined building cascaded off Makarovs fist, the chucks of stone not bothering him in the slightest. No, what did bother the old man was the bolts of lighting dancing over his skin, burning his fingers and leaving a heavy stench in the air.

Laxus grinned even as the guildmasters grip tightened. This is what he'd been waiting for. This power! Thrilling!

Not even bothering to shout the name of his attack, to caught up in a delirium of adrenaline and power, Laxus suffused his fists with lightening and used them to push Makarovs hand apart.

The old man didn't hesitate, shrinking the limb before enlarging the other one, hefting a massive chunk of stone with his other limb and slamming it into the ground where his grandson had stood moments prior.

Laxus darted away, leaving a crackling trail of lightening in his wake. As soon as he was certain he was out of Makarovs range, he stopped, pushing magic power into his chest until it erupted, a Lightening Dragons Roar.

Makarov raised his enlarged fists to counter, gritting his teeth against the onslaught. Laxus fuelled the roar until it was obvious no more damage would be done to the old man. A new wave of burned flesh smell filled the air, but Makarov gave no indication he felt any pain, the angry white lines of lightening burns spreading across his arms speaking for him.

"Is that all you can do, old man? Pathetic!"

Instead of humouring his insult with a response, Makarov simply continued his assault.

* * *

Gray didn't have long to adjust to the sudden fluctuations of power from what used to be the Cathedral, as Freed adjusted rather quickly and began etching out more runes.

"Oh no you don't! Ice Make: Block!"

While at the time, it seemed like pure unadulterated skill that allowed Gray to place his spell directly around Freeds blade, it was really more a mix of luck and bad balance.

The two mages both paused in their actions, Freed straining to lift the ice-cube-ified blade to ice level.

"Ah, well. I suppose I'll just have to make do without that then." He allowed it to drop, the ice chipping on the pavement, but not breaking like he may have hoped.

"Dark Écriture: Wings!"

And the fight resumed.

* * *

Natsu rolled to the side, managing to rip himself out of Aria's grip. The big wind mage staggered, before wheeling to face the errant DragonSlayer.

Natsu flipped onto his feet, not bothering to look back before taking off. In all honesty, Aria had done him a favour getting him out of town, giving him the whole world do run and hide in.

Even if he felt absolutely awful doing it. Fairy Tail, while he had only been there for a very short time, felt like what he imagined a home to be. It was unlikely he'd be able to go back.

Tree branched lashed at his face, blocking his vision, leaving him to stumble blindly. There wasn't much he could do, one shoulder still aching fiercely from both the old injury and Arias grabbing him there, and his other arm completely numb from the bracelet.

However, it would do him no good to be caught because the muscles in his shoulder hurt a little, so gritting his teeth he lifted his arm, managing to produce a flickering, dying flame, which quickly ate through any foliage in his path.

It would leave a clear trail to any pursuers, so really his only hope at this point was no one would be fast enough.

It was a futile hope, considering Aria had just out-sped Erza, but it was a hope nonetheless.

The numbness spread from his arm to his shoulder, faster due to his use of magic.

If it reached his legs before he got the bracelet off, or got away, he was screwed. Though, at the very least, it would alleviate the pain in his right shoulder, for a short while. If he remember correctly from the first time, the numbness wouldn't last long.

That was when he risked a glance behind him.

Big mistake.

* * *

 _Oh, isn't it always? Anyway, my personality has gone through massive changes in the last year, like I am a brand new person and very comfortable with who I am, unlike before, and this last three weeks have been the first time I got really sick with this mindset. And man, was it_ weird. _I don't remember a big chunk of it, but I do remember occasionally tuning back in to the real world and catching thoughts from when I was out of it. The most memorable of these was 'Damn Haggis, always stealing my socks. Curse those brits!' yeah I don't know either. I sincerely apologize to any British people reading this. Either way, that's my reason for not managing to update. (I actually wrote this chapter while sick and it was a disaster zone, so it's really for the best. Yay for rewrites!) I'll be getting back on my feet for the next week I imagine, but I'll do my best._ ~ShadeShadow


	30. Home

… _.so….. hi? I have returned, (juuuust after New Years!) and while I don't exactly recall where anyone was or what they were doing, I'm gonna do my best and get this done! Oh yeah guess who got a Tumblr? You can find me at shadeshadow234. (My current tagline is 'It was a trick, it was a trap, it was a lie all along!')_

* * *

 _Otaku789(1), if you've managed to giggle for two months, colour me highly impressed. Haha_

 _Phoenix(1), the two month cliff! Argh! Hmm, I'd say we're getting pretty close to the climax? (Spoilers, the climax is definitely when Natsu meets Jude again and it's 110 percent gonna be another cliffie) oh no, is you dead? Whoopsies. (Honestly I'm so frazzled right now I thought 'hey The Napoleon didn't pain the Mona Britain overnight' instead of 'Hey the Mona Lisa wasn't created overnight, yeah?' I need help)_

 _Guest(1), Hot Cross Buns, I'm sure I'll write tons, hot cross buns, I'm sure no one I'll shun, one-a-penny, two-a-penny, of things left to do this stories got plenty, Hot Cross Buns! Finally, a December(kind of) update! Oh yes this is definitely once a week yep mhm 100%. Ugh I don't even want to think about school right now it's been crushing me. I haven't had the chance to see Dragon Cry yet but I'm looking forward to it! (This is definitely soon)_

 _Guest(2), I'm only two months late, that's all!_

 _Phoenix(2), ah, see there, it's made a slight misstep and fallen into a ditch. Oh dear, the ditch seems to have lit itself on fire. The Sunday Pattern, such a rare creature, yet so prone to Calamity. Ahem. Oh no, I'm so sorry I'm late with the insta-happy! (Oh no my secret magic skill has been uncovered calling in swat team '100-PANIC-PANIC)_

 _Otaku789(2), indeed, the weekend! What a great time for updates! Oh, there it goes. And again. And again. And again. An-_

 _Guest(3), indeed it has! Uh… twice over… ahem. This definitely counts as soon shhhhhhh. You need wait no longer!_

 _Otaku789(3), November is indeed over! In fact, so is the year! Whoops. Anyway. On with the Lord of the Phantoms!_

 _Phoenix(3), oh no, people are looking at their calendars, what to do, what to do uhhhhhhhhh. Well, the hiatus is over! I agree, I would just hate to leave this unfinished._

 _Otaku789(4), well, I feel like in the middle of an arc would be a bad place for a Christmas special, seeing as it would probably shatter the flow of the story. (Plus there's the fact Wendy, Sting, and Rogue were written into it and they would probably have some reaction to suddenly being in the Fairy Tail guild hall hahaha) mine wasn't out until Friday either, what a coincidence! Belated Holiday cheer for all!_

 _Phoenix(4), Merry (belated) Christmas! :)_

 _Phoenix(5), and a happy new year!_

* * *

The smell of woodsmoke was unmistakable, the acrid scent rising and being blown over the town by an unusually strong breeze. Those in the town, mages and townsfolk alike, turned to the forest, seeing the billowing clouds that arouse from it.

They came in an odd formation, almost controlled and straight at first, but then as if control was lost, they spread out over a wider area. Some, like Lucy, had a sinking feeling for what that could mean.

Others, such as Freed, saw opportunity in their distracted opponents and used the time to strike.

A select few, namely, the mages of Phantom Lord, understood the message in the breeze. Aria had found their target.

Gajeel grinned, sharp as iron, before leaping to the nearest rooftop. The forest was only a couple streets away, the smoke making his eyes water. Not that he would admit it irritated him.

He cleared the remaining rooftops in a few leaps, landing at the edge of the forest and walking through the barrier that had been placed as if it were nothing more than air. He paused, considering going through the trees instead of leaping over them, but decided it would simply be too much of a bother to wade through burning bushes.

Even if his skin had the disposition of Iron, it still heated unpleasantly while in direct contact with flames.

Careful not to remain on any one tree for too long, in case it crumbled under his touch, Gajeel swept the forest, searching for his guildmate or target, uncaring of which he found first.

The smoke was damn effective, for all Aria was trying to do with it. It lingered in the air, hiding any scents he could have hoped to catch under its acrid blanket. It also made his eyes water, rather embarrassingly.

A flash of movement, of pink, caught the reddened eyes of the Iron Dragon Slayer, and he didn't bother trying to distribute his weight on the next branch in his path, opting to crash right through it.

In the moments before he hit the ground, a few things registered. One, he had misjudged how well the branch would hold up, which had delayed his fall time by a vital few seconds. Two, in those few seconds, the target had managed to both look the wrong direction and keep running.

Three, he wasn't going to hit the ground.

Natsu Dragneel was hit by a falling lump of iron when he turned to look behind him.

Gajeel stepped off his temporary perch, and grimaced. That was definitely a broken arm, and maybe (probably) some cracked (broken) ribs. Regardless, he slung the other DragonSlayers unmoving form over one should, not unlike a sack of potatoes, and set off to find Aria.

Might as well let him know their target had been caught.

* * *

Gajeel bit through a chunk of iron, and pulled a rather unimpressed face. It was slightly rusted, but the most the guild had to offer, all other materials had gone to making it so the guild could move.

The taste of rotten iron lingered on his tongue as he spat out his mouthful and left the chunk on the table, much to José's irritation. However, the Guild Master wasn't exactly in a position to complain, since it was Gajeel who had caught the boy, and Gajeel who had netted them a tidy sum.

1,000,000 Jewel would certainly cover the costs of this venture, and being granted permission to destroy Fairy Tail was the cherry on the top.

José sat behind his desk, nearly ignoring the DragonSlayer who had been restrained in the corner of the room for the DragonSlayer standing in front of him. "Now, Gajeel, as I am sure you are aware, I am a very busy man."

A very busy man who would kindly ignore the snort of laughter Gajeel just let out.

"I want you to deliver the boy to his father, and collect the reward, and I expect not a single Jewel will be missing."

Gajeel groaned. "Why am I always getting stuck with the lackey work? Yea, sure, whatever, I'll do it. You owe me some quality iron after this whole thing."

Not bothering with his Guild Masters response, Gajeel turned to the DragonSlayer in the corner of the room, who had yet to regain consciousness. It had been roughly half an hour since they brought him in, and in that time the guildhall had finally been set in motion, as due the last request of their employer.

A very sweet cherry it would be indeed.

Slinging the DragonSlayer over his shoulder, Gajeel straightened up and cracked his back. "I should be back in a week or something. I expect my fair share of the reward for this."

"Yes yes," José waved him off distractedly, already dreaming of all the things he could do with a million Jewel. "Not a single Jewel missing, you hear me?"

In the complete honest truth, Gajeel could make it to the manor in under a day, with the use of public transportation, and just over a day without. However, something just rubbed him as odd about the whole thing.

He couldn't put his finger on what, exactly, but there was something very… wrong about the situation.

He didn't have anything stupid planned, like untying the kid or running off with him, but watching for a bit and hopefully soothing the itch that had sprung up at the back of his mind couldn't hurt anyone.

 _(There was something inherently_ wrong _in a parent who was willing to use Dark Guilds to retrieve his child.)_

* * *

Natsu let out a grunt as Gajeel deposited him roughly on the ground, managing to right himself even as his ribs complained sharply. "I don't imagine you'd let me go, would you?"

"You're outta luck on that one. I've got a bounty to collect." Gajeel rotated his shoulder. "You're as heavy as a goddamn bag of rocks, you know that?"

Natsu didn't respond to that insult, in favour of shifting around to find a more comfortable position- and maybe a sharp rock.

They weren't at Heartfilia Manor, not yet, but they were close, and Natsu was willing to risk cutting himself to remove the ropes around his wrists and escaping.

Gajeel grunted as something in his shoulder cracked sharply, and let out a quiet sigh of relief, more of an exhale than anything. "Right, so I can either carry you the rest of the way, or you can walk. Choose."

"I'll walk, just don't push me. Also, if you could untie my hands that would be great."

"Ha, nice try." Gajeel pulled Natsu to his feet, ignoring the shorters half bitten off grunt of pain. It was nothing that would be bandaged in the next ten minutes, anyway.

* * *

The manors servants all let out small gasps upon seeing Natsu again, especially in such poor condition, but none of them dared come close. One elderly looking maid started towards them, but Natsu grinned widely at her and she stepped back.

As soon as the duo set foot in the manor, a herd of servants gathered, one of them undid the ropes, another offered Gajeel a drink, and not one bothered with his obvious injuries. They bustled Natsu off, and left Gajeel standing alone, cup of water in one hand.

Not long after, Natsu made his way back down alone, but in a fancy suit with his previously wild hair gelled down. Someone had the sight to get a cast for his arm, but it looked sloppily done.

Gajeel walked with him to a big pair of double oak doors, and then settled himself against the wall to wait. He would allow time for a family reunion, and then collect his due.

* * *

Jude Heartfilia was a terrifying man.

He was the founder of his company, and the driving force behind it.

And he was desperate.

His wife had died before he could have a child, leaving his pride and joy heirless. All he needed was a child, someone unconnected to the outside world, someone who didn't know much about the world so he could shape their world view to mirror his own, to recreate himself to continue his company.

But that would be impossible, right? There was no child so disconnected from the world, right?

Natsu Dragneel was his solution. Natsu Dragneel was unwilling.

Natsu Dragneel was his blessing. He wasn't going to let him slip away because of some… differences.

First order was his magic. The boy insisted on using it, even when under strict orders not to. Not to mention he called it DragonSlayer magic, like what his wife died for…

Nonsense. There were no such things as Dragons. The boy just refused to see sense.

So he ordered in magic restraining shackl- bracelets. He had the runes carved by an expert, and attached them to the boy in his sleep.

He had tried to have the unappealing canine teeth removed but the boy put up too much of a struggle. (He conveniently left how he had tried with pliers while drunk out of his memory)

He just needed someone to take over his company. Why couldn't the boy understand that?

Why couldn't the boy see the sense in his business deals? The Tower of Heaven had been a goldmine, all of the mined materials were cheap to purchase, and extremely malleable, so what if slaves were used in its making?

Jude was a terrifying man, and a desperate one. He wanted to keep his company alive, and to him, Natsu soon became both his blessing and his boon.

It had been three years since he had last seen Natsu.

Three years he spent sending Dark Guild after Dark Guild after the ungrateful boy. Finally, the guild called Phantom Lord was successful. They were a tacky bunch, not to mention the DragonSlayer they kept in their company, but they got the job done.

He had given the boy time to tidy himself up, get a nice outfit on, paid for a cast for his arm, and waited, ever so patiently, in his office.

This was the moment he had been waiting for for three years.

Taking a deep breath, Jude turned around.

* * *

 _As an explanation for Jude's actions, Lucy was his biological daughter and he loved her and was lost in grief in the canon universe. In this universe, he is well aware of why his wife died, bitter as all hell because of that, and then he's had Natsu delivered straight to him. Natsu and Gajeel centric chapter for the win! I can't guarantee the quality of this because still no Beta and I'm very tired and I found the sentence 'taking a deep breathe, Jude took a deep breath' in here multiple times and I have no clue where it came from. Anyway, I left you guys on a cliffie until the end of the year. LETS DO IT AGAIN!_ ~ShadeShadow


	31. Fallen

_**I forgot to do this last chapter, so here, have it this chapter! Big shoutout and thanks to Enjali, who helped me get over my writers block!**_

* * *

 _Alright, I've brushed up on where everyone is and what I had planned, and now I am prepared! So, let's see how Fairy Tail is doing, yes? I wonder how the Guild Hall is holding up…_

* * *

 _Otaku789(1), I'm glad you're enjoying it!_

 _Phoenix(1), Yesss! The moment is here! Ah yes, the good old mental kill with anticipation. Proven to be 100% fatality free! And always so satisfying. Honestly? At this point I'm hoping I can pull it off convincingly, but Jude got something realll messed up planned that you will see at some point in this chapter that really sets of the alarms which were at a low jangle until this moment. Yesssss I am such a big sucker for a group of strangers becoming family (big reason why I recently fell in love with the anime Kekkai Sensen, which I do recommend) Cobra is like the estranged cousin who no one really wants to remember or talk about but everyone loves him anyway. Hey, my school starts up on Monday as well. Ughhh, I have a headache just thinking about my alarms. I sleep through them so often I think I'm gonna need to bump my twenty up to forty, (every five minutes instead of every ten) but I think that would piss off just about literally everyone. THE GREAT HIATUS HAS ENDED! WE ARE FREE! WE ARE FREE!_

 _Guest(1), a wise old owl lived in an oak, Jude is not a nice bloke, the more he saw, the less he spoke, the crew of Fairy Tail certainly aren't common folk, the less he spoke the more he heard, I just hope this doesn't seem too absurd, why can't we all be like that wise old bird? An update! An update! I've got you hooked, eh? Guess I better reel you in with this chapter, eh? Oh goodness, finals? I hope you did well, even without another chapter of this!_

 _Otaku789(2), uh… looks like that's a no. Sorry! I had a lot to do, and this story had to take a temporary backseat._

 _Otaku789(3), they're over! We're done! What is this feeling, it's almost like… freedom. Agh whoops there it goes, semester two is here and it brings a lot of work! Well, it's a little late, but here's your r &r! I hope that what happens next is good!_

 _Guest(2), Cliffhanger! Ooh those are some good puppy eyes. I can feel my heart melting. Better update quick!_

 _Phoenix(2), happy (belated) Valentines Day!_

 _Guest(3), indeed it has! Honestly your review really helped me get through a rough patch with my writing. I felt a bit like everything I wrote wasn't good enough but your words really help. Thank you, honestly. :D_

 _Guest(4), ah, sorry about that! I realized I still had the AN Chapter up, and figured I'd take it down. I didn't realize it would rebrand this as updated. Sorry! At least it's for real now!_

* * *

"Dark Écriture; Slow!"

A green blur was all Gray saw before Freed was gone, too vague to make out any details. His limbs moved like they were caught in molasses, each breath taking a painfully long time to reach his lungs. When he blinked, the world disappeared for what could have been hours, the sun was gone from the sky as soon as his eyes were open again.

His ice melted at a supernaturally fast rate, faster even than when fire was near.

For a brief moment, the was the sensation of hands on his shoulders, blonde, and a gentle shake, but that too was gone almost too fast to be processed.

A few things could be happening here. A really strange dream, or maybe a time wizard with a grudge, or it was some weird left over affect from being an Ice Make Mage that no one bothered to warn him about.

Or it was Freed. Odds were that Freed was to blame. After all, Gray had been an utter moron and had taken his attention away from the battle he was engaged in with a member of the Thunder Legion.

Despite the time that must have passed, hours, if not a day, it took only seconds after he realized this that with a strange tinkling sound, like the shattering of glass, that the world slowed down enough to make sense.

The first sound to meet his ears was screaming.

* * *

Crux grimaced, not something that was usually seen on the Spirit. "I am sorry, Miss Lucy, but I am not allowed to talk about him."

"Really? There's nothing you can tell me?"

"No, the Celestial Spirit king has banished all contact with him. He hasn't been seen in my world for years."

Lucy let Crux fall back asleep as she thought over that. Without a Celestial Mage to keep the gate open, the strain could be fatal on a Spirit, and to maintain an open gate for years would either take an absurd amount of magic power, or something unnatural.

But then again, Leo was supposed to be the leader of the Celestial Spirits, wasn't he? Surely that meant he… Loke had said he was dying, didn't he?

"Thanks Crux!" Lucy dispelled the Spirit, turning on her heel and running after Loke. She was going to get to the bottom of this, even if it meant pinning the man to a wall Erza style.

Actually, she might do it some other way. He would probably enjoy being pinned too much.

Running from the canal to an open street, she nearly slipped on a patch of ice. Barely catching herself, Lucy took in the street. Most of the ice was at least partially melted, and a sword, Freeds sword, was lodged in a large chunk.

In the middle of the street, Gray stood, his hands still in the Ice Make position. He didn't seem to be moving, just standing there, barely twitching a muscle. A single rune, definitely one of Freeds, stood just above his forehead, the purple text shimmering.

He would probably be fine if Freed took the rune off. Even so, Lucy gave him a small shake, in case the rune was 'sleep' or something. No luck.

Well, that was a problem. Lucy bit her lip, weighing Grays importance in relation to Loke's. Gray would probably be fine as soon as Freed was defeated, which was bound to happen sooner or later, and if Loke's claim of dying was to be believed…

"Sorry, Gray!"

This time, Lucy didn't quite catch herself when she slipped, but considering she had just left Gray to be frozen in a street in favour of a playboy she had never really talked to, it was well deserved.

* * *

Meanwhile, with Evergreens defeat, a certain group of stone statues was crumbling. The rest of Fairy Tail was waking up.

There was a moment of delayed confusion, it seemed like time had passed, but at the same time, nothing had changes, aside from a few people going from precarious places and positions to flat out on the ground. A quiet murmur swept over the guild, as those who found themselves on the ground picked theme lives up, brushing off any dirt that stuck to their clothes.

"Does anyone remember what happened? I remember hearing someone come in, but I don't think I quite saw who."

"Maybe Mystogan?"

"No, I don't feel like I was asleep… besides, all the jobs are still here!"

"Maybe it was Evergreen."

"She's been out on a job with The Thunder Legion for months though…"

"Plus, she has no real reason to turn us all into stone, yeah?"

"No, it was her." Mira spoke up, after placing the tray that was still in her hands on a counter, picking up the food that had spilled with it. "It took a little bit longer for her magic to work on me..."

While Elfman made his way to his sisters side, the rest of the guild let out cries of outrage.

"It's gotta be Laxus behind this! He was always too uppity!"

"I say we go fight back!"

"Yeah!"

It was then that Makarov stumbled in. He was badly burned, the marks concentrated on his arms, but a few stretched their way up to his face, and who knows where else.

"Master!" Mira pushed her way through the silenced crowd, crouching next to the old man. Her hands hovered uncertainly over his wounds, and after a couple seconds she wheeled to face Jet.

"Go get Porlyusica, quickly!"

He swallowed, face pale, and nodded, before taking off up the stairs and leaving a trail of dust behind.

"Someone go to Cardia Cathedral…" he bit out, revealing red-stained teeth. "Laxus is still there."

"No way! He's the one who did this to you, he deserves whatev-"

"He is still a member of this guild! I expect you to treat him like one!"

Before anyone had a chance to respond to that, Jet ran back in, looking, if possible, even paler. "There's something outside you really need to see."

* * *

Natsu shifted uncomfortably, the suit was too small for him by now, and Gajeel was proving to be nothing but an intimidating presence as they walked down the hall together.

Even so, he would far rather spending the rest of his life with the feeling of 'one wrong move and I'll break your kneecaps' at his shoulder than face what waited behind this door.

(Oddly enough, despite the hell he was about to step back into, it felt like no matter what, so long as Fairy Tail still stood, everything would turn out alright.)

Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.

It was just as empty as he remembered. The big window did little to provide lighting to the room, except to cast ominous shadows.

Jude was sat behind his desk, though his seat was turned away from it so he could look out the window.

His shoulders moved in the motions of a deep sigh, it was odd to not be able to hear it, he had gotten so used to his DragonSlayer senses…

Jude spun around in his chair, and Natsu made a conscious effort not to show what he was feeling on his face.

"You disappoint me, boy."

Jude stood, placing both hands on his desk.

"I take you in. I feed you. I teach you what you need to survive in this world, boy."

He leaned forwards, it took effort not to step back.

"And this is how you repay me? Disgraceful."

He sat back down, hands folding on his lap again.

"Really, you never seem to learn your lesson."

A lacrima flickered to life on his desk.

"I didn't want to have to do this, boy, but you leave me no other option. You just need to understand that I know what's best for you."

A video projection spun out, displaying Fairy Tail.

There was a sinking feeling in his gut, like his heart had leapt to his throat,

Another building was clear behind it, the Dark Guild Phantom Lord.

Through some miracle of engineering, the building was moving, one 'arm' raised into the sky.

Like a judge hitting his gavel on a desk, sentencing an inmate to death, the arm fell,

And Fairy Tail fell beneath it.

* * *

 _So, I've finally gotten around to watching Dragon Cry! Gotta admit, it was pretty good. And, we finally got to see how Natsu and Igneel met! …which is a problem. So, what do you guys think, should I go back and change the first chapter from five dragons that Igneel decided to gather up for no apparent reason to a dragon cuddle pile that a little boy accidentally wanders into? It's up to you guys! I'll set up a poll, for those of you with a profile, and for those of you without just leave it in a review! Sound good? Great! (Oh yeah don't mind me just ignoring the probable mental scarring I caused Natsu whoops) ((can I just say though I'm really proud of how this ended bahahahaha))_ ~ShadeShadow


	32. Testing Testing, 1,2,3

_Hey guess who realized they already had another poll going for like half a year that they forgot about? Whoops. Well, it's a 3-1 vote for character bio's, therefor I shall get started right away! Hmm… who to start with? I'm thinking one of The Five Dragons…_

 _Oh yeah! To explain the lack of updates recently, I've been working on a novel. I'm still fleshing the characters out and trying to figure out an ending, but I have the starting events and the main characters down._

* * *

 _Guest(1), wow, that was fast! Haha, I guess that's fair though, I did leave you on (yet another) cliffhanger! I gotta let you stew in it for a bit though. Really think through the possibilities, yeah?_

 _Guest(2),aww, you really think so? Things do seem to be in the favour of not changing it, but I'm going to keep the poll open for maybe another week and see how things go. If things go the way of rewriting it, you can go ahead and copy the first chapter before I change it, and keep it for yourself, so long as you don't claim it as your own, yeah?_

 _dsasd, careful, we don't want to spoil people! When I started this story I was halfway through the Eclipse arc, so I didn't know that at the time. Now, I've finished reading Fairy Tail, and I've seen the Dragon Cry movie, so I know how it plays out. I'm thinking maybe for the rewrite, (if I end up doing it) Zeref either makes a deal with all five dragons, or Igneel doesn't know when Natsu is going to show up and the other four are inconveniently in the way. That's the rough idea, I can probably patch it up more when I'm actually writing, yeah?_

 _Guest(3), please, be my guest. (Hahahahahaha)_

 _Otaku789(1), oh yes he did! Ooh, a mix of the two? How do you mean?_

 _Guest(4), Little miss Muffet, sat on a tuffet, of despair we've a buffet, eating her curds and whey, but really there's no need for dismay, along came a spider, things will always get brighter, who sat down beside her, some of these characters couldn't get snider, and frightened miss Muffet away, I'll just find another way. An update! Aww, that's great! I know the feeling of getting weird looks from family because something makes you real happy. (How do you think I feel getting these reviews? Haha) :D_

 _Phoenix(1), Wait, review 200? Already? When did that happen? Did I blank out? Where am I what happened_

 _Guest(5), you got it! An update it is!_

 _Otaku, uhhhh I'm sure the Easter bunny was just… early. That's all. I'm not late. Shhh._

 _Phoenix(2), happy Easter!_

 _Otaku789(2), you need more, more you shall have!_

 _Phoenix(3), yeah, crazy right? I'm getting there though, slowly but surely. Oh dude you were crazy close to me. My family debated going to that festival actually, but my dads back started hurting him real bad and we weren't able to go (we live like six hours away). Aw man I know what it feels like to have a ton of homework. I had a migraine and slept it off, only to bolt wide awake at like two in the morning because I remembered how much work I needed to get done. I mean, I did have this whole chapter written out, you know, and I was about to post it when I realized the kind of important detail that I had broken Natsus arm last time, and the chapter I had just written depended on him having both, so it was back to the drawing board for me. Aww, you flatter me. Nothing is as surefire as to bring a grin to my face. YES! Oh man, I read the manga ahead of time and I'm super excited for what's to come. It's great seeing the scenes in full colour and animated, oh man. My favourite character is Kaminari, the little dork. I have been trying to think of a My Hero Academia Story for a little while, I'm thinking I might do a crossover. Knowing me it's gonna be a crossover with Fairy Tail, hahaha.(actually, I just remembered! Over on ao3 I'm already doing a my hero and avengers crossover fic, where I'm rewriting the avengers with My Hero characters! I'm probably gonna cross-post it over here when it's done.) P.s. Awwwwww. I'm really looking forward to finishing one and starting the other!_

 _Otaku789(3), whoa it is what. Well, here's the update! Hopefully it'll make your life just that little bit more enjoyable!_

* * *

 _Whoa, that's a lot more reviews than usual. Probably what I get for… you know._

* * *

The stonework arm didn't even fully lift out of the ruined building. Dragging back through the rubble, it knocked most of the wood into the waters behind what had been the guild hall. The metal poles left there by Gajeel were horribly dented, some of them crumbled to the point they were almost snapped.

If there was anyone inside, they were undoubtedly killed.

World-shattering. That was the word. Vaguely, he was aware of the burning build up of magic power that was unable to escape, but that was second to the burning rage building in his belly.

When he had first been taken in, before he had learned, rage had been a familiar feeling. Perhaps not quite so potent, more a simmering anger, but it had been there.

His magic pushing at the binds it had been placed under, Natsu slammed a hand on the table.

Even with the restrictions, a spark of lightning leapt off of it.

Jude didn't even flinch. "Boy, I thought I taught you to keep that temper of yours under control."

Despite that day being a Tuesday, the day Empra trained him, the elements of the other four felt just as close.

If he hadn't experienced it before, he would have sworn that this was DragonForce, kept in check by powerfully enchanted scraps of metal.

"You," he snarled, unaware of how inhuman he appeared, " _bastard_."

 _SMACK!_

* * *

Admittedly, Gajeel had been about to doze off when the sudden surge in magic power hit him. His eyes shot open, and after a moment of minor disorientation, he straightened from the relaxed position he had taken.

Prying the door open, and unwittingly snapping the lock, a much more potent wave of magical energy hit him. There was definitely some sort of magic dampener in the walls.

Natsu had one hand up to his cheek, magic energy still bubbling around him, unable to release. Despite that, his posture was almost defeated looking, with hunched shoulders.

Seeing the frozen projection above Jude's desk, he could almost understand why.

The businessman leaned around his son, hitting Gajeel with a hard glare. "What business do you have barging into my study, young man?"

"I'm just here for the payment, old man." Stalking forward, and moving Natsu behind him, he leaned on the desk, palm flat out. "Unless there's some sort of misunderstanding, you owe me 1,000,000 Jewel."

Jude waved him off. "Yes, yes, that. I'll have the funds sent directly to your guild. Now leave."

"Actually, old man," Gajeel grinned pointedly, "I have orders from the master to bring it myself."

Letting out an aggrieved sigh, Jude leaned back a little farther in his chair. "Very well, I'll have it arranged for the funds to be brought to the entryway. Now, why don't you go."

"Oh, did I forget to mention? I'm supposed to stick around and make sure he," Gajeel jerked his thumb at Natsu, "doesn't make another break for it."

Jude pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. "Very well. Now if you don't mind, I would appreciate you leaving us to have this talk in _peace_."

Gajeel leaned back, taking his hand off the desk. "Alright."

Making for the door, he stopped just before going out, and turned to lean on the doorframe instead.

Jude groaned. "I thought I asked you to go."

Gajeel raised the piercings that served as his eyebrows, and shot a _very_ pointed look at the massive window behind Jude that looked very easy to break.

If he didn't have a reputation to uphold, Jude would probably be far more incensed. "Very well. Not a word of what is said here goes beyond these walls, you hear me?"

"Whatever helps you sleep easy."

Jude didn't seem reassured, exactly. More the opposite than anything.

With another long, harried sigh, he pulled open a cabinet pulling out something Gajeel couldn't quite see. Silently, he beckoned Natsu forwards, and then pressed whatever it was into his hand, which Jude had to grab and move away from his reddened cheek.

Gajeel had to ignore the flinch that accompanied that action.

* * *

After Jet had run back in, it was a scramble to get everyone outside. Mirajane scooped up Makarov, ignoring how his blood was sticky on her palms, and in turn she was scooped up by Elfman, who had Cana (who was too drunk to walk,) and a few others already in his massive arms.

The entrance was pretty quickly swarmed by people pushing to get out, but Elfman crashed through, pushing people to the side, and effectively clearing the way for people to scramble out, the last persons heel being scraped by a large piece of wood as the guildhall was _smashed_.

A reverberating crunch filled the air, along with the grinding and shifting of the guild halls foundations. The arm dragged back through the rubble, leaving the building to sag in on itself, before, finally, the roof hit the ground, stirring up a dust cloud.

Sandwiched between leftover rubble from the Cardia Cathedral and the ruined guildhall, members of Fairy Tail could do nothing but watch the colossal mechanical being as it raised its other arm, going in for a second hit, despite how the guildhall was already completely in ruins.

A third hit, then a fourth, and all Mira could manage was a horrified 'stop'.

By the fifth hit, anything vaguely resembling a guildhall had already been destroyed, leaving a jumbled pile of wood and stone, crumpled metal shooting it through.

And yet, the stonework giant _kept on going._

Quietly, a mad cackling drifted down from the head of the giant, and finally, after what must have been an eternity, the giants hands lay flat at its sides.

There was silence, silence enough to hear a pin drop, and silence enough to hear something hit the ground and shatter some ways behind them.

It was the sound of breaking crystal that stirred everyone into movement. Elfman put down whoever he was carrying, some notably more gently than others, before leaping into the sky, and using his partial beast takeover to summon the Arm of the Black Bull, slamming into the machines middle, followed by what must have been at least half the guild, each launching an attack of their own.

When the smoke cleared, there wasn't a dent on it.

Mira, while keeping half an eye on her brother, knelt, laying Makarov on the ground ever so gently. Tearing a few long strips of fabric off her dress, the white haired mage set to binding any bleeding wounds she could see, taking special care on the masters arms.

Levi, shadowed by Jet and Droy, set off for the outskirts of town, where the purple text barrier was rippling into the sky. With any luck, she could dispel it, or at least make an allowance for Makarov to leave with someone.

Reaching Porlyusica was vital.

A swarm of black ghosts swirled down from the head of the moving guild hall, and set to proving as much of a nuisance as possible.

* * *

"So," Gajeel said, flashing sharp teeth in a grin, "why do you put up with him treating you like that anyway?"

Natsu, who had lead Gajeel to his room despite his instincts telling him not to, sighed, and winced as he leaned a little too heavily on his broken arm. "Do I look like I have much of a choice? The last time I escaped I spent years running from the likes of you, and look how that ended up."

"So that's it, ehh? You're giving up?"

"… I don't see how this matters to you."

"Heh."

* * *

 _I'm thinking once the Phantom Lord arc is done, I'm going to have a relaxation arc. You know, rest and rehabilitation. They're probably gonna need it before I launch into the Oración Seis arc, haha. Admittedly, I am a little stumped on what to do for said relaxation arc, so if anyone has any suggestions, hit me up, I'll love getting reviews and suggestions from you guys._ ~ShadeShadow


	33. How The Phantom Topples

_Infinity War destoyed me emotionally_

 _Anyway, it's been a while, eh? I got a cat in the meantime, and I passed my finals. My cats name is Magnus and he's around twelve, he's a tabby and a very good lap warmer when he's not biting the shit out of my hands. He likes to sit with one leg sticking out and he snores when he sleeps._

* * *

 _Otaku789, haha yesss! I plan to keep going, no worries!_

 _Guest, baa baa black sheep, after this he'll need to sleep, have you any wool, he certainly is ever so cruel, yes sir yes sir, the lines between good and bad'll begin to blur, three bags full, maybe Lucy will summon a certain bull, one for my master, at least they didn't hit it with their blaster, and one for the dame, Jude's ambitions are rather lame, one for the little boy, this reviews fills me with joy, who lives down the lane, so long as you don't end up needing a cane! Ooh, those are some interesting ideas, thanks! Hmm, but how far back would we go? Rambunctious little kid? Angry but quiet kid? Defeated child? Ooh, maybe all of them._

 _Phoenix, yeah, a little bit eh? Hmm, perhaps not so much an accident… you'll see. Yeah, I would have loved to go. What a shame, haha. Oh yeah, I've seen Bungou but I haven't seen the other two, I'll check them out sometime! Ooh, those are some fantastic ideas! I can feel the inspiration coming! ;)_

 _Otaku788(2), erk, Exams! Not A Fun Time. Thank you! I'd wish you good luck too but I'm a liiittle late. Just by a smidge._

 _Guest(2), Aw yeah summer vacation! Summer sure is great, isn't it! And hey, here's an update! Damn right it's Natsutime! Haha_

 _Guest(3), who knows what Gajeels gonna do? Hmm... a real mystery, that guy. Yeah, honestly I can't believe there's actual real world people who will willingly do that to their children. Awful :( anyway it's really up to reader interpretation for any of the ships, as I'm not much of a romance writer, haha._

 _Phoenix(2), happy Canada day!_

* * *

It was impressive how quickly the mages of Fairy Tail could swap targets, from the looming stone building to the purple wisps which funneled around them, chucking pieces of rubble and what might be spells.

Cana flipped three of her cards, and lances of electricity speared a line of wisps. Bisca and Alzac loaded their guns and took out more. Reedus painted weapons for those who's magic wouldn't reach upper targets, and Lavi created dozens of arrows.

It was a beautiful group effort. Makarov observed his children working together in such harmony for a few moment longer, before fully opening his eyes from the squint he had been holding. Mira immediately took up most of his view, as predicted, her worried face obstructing his line of sight.

"Master! We can't get Porlyusica, there's a barrier up around the town!" Makarov went to sit up, only to find himself pushed down to the ground again by her slim fingers.

"That's quite alright, Mira. Your old man has taken far worse beatings than this, I assure you."

Even so, she still hesitated, before helping him sit up and lean back against a chunk of stone, displaying the destruction that the Phantom Lord Guild Hall had wrought. Displaying the smattering of rocks and wood that made up Fairy Tail.

"Was anyone injured?"

"No, just you, Master."

"Laxus was injured too, by a man with the name Aria. He's a member of Phantom Lord."

Mira turned, and gave the unmoving Guild Hall a considering look. "They have someone that strong?" She paused, consideringly, and then turned her attention back to Makarov. "Don't worry, Master, we'll take care of it! You just make sure not to strain your injuries until we can reach Porlyusica."

It was then that a cry ripped through the air above them, and not one of the cries from the ghosts.

No, it was the cry of a warrior. The cry of the queen of the Fairies. The cry, of Titania.

A bright figure streaked through the sky, as she swapped from her Black Wing armour to her Heavens Wheel armour, smashing somewhere near the 'chest' of the Guild Hall, where a wave of blades carved a hole.

For a moment, there was silence, and then victorious cries echoed from those fighting the wisps.

But then the Guild Hall started moving again. A giant stonework fist crashed into the midst of the mages, and it might has squished a few of them if Elfman hadn't caught it at the last possible moment.

The muscular man strained, muscles bulging as they worked overtime to fight the weight of the Guild Halls fist. For a moment, pressure lifting for a moment before redoubling down. Those who were in the path of the fist had already scrambled out, but there was no opportunity for Elfman to escape. Mira could only watch as her brother was slowly crushed.

A few members did their best to ease the burden, wooden blocks rising from the ground, or swirls of fire and smoke trying to push, but most of the weight ultimately remained on Elfmans shoulders.

And then— and then. A miracle. The Guild Hall lifted its fist.

Mira got maybe half a step closer when the fist came back down, but not to crush this time. Or, not in the same way. Like a gambling might snatch a die, it grabbed Elfman, catching both of his beefy arms in one stone finger.

And Mira-Jane?

She screamed. She screamed for her brother who was starting to go limp, screamed for the home she had just seen crushed, screamed for the masters injuries, and as she screamed a dark magic circle spun out from under her feet.

* * *

As time returned to normal for Gray, it was hard not to notice the giant Guild Hall looming over Fairy Tail, looming over where Fairy Tail used to be.

The screaming he heard was followed by a violently bright purple glow, and even thought it have been _years_ Gray recognized it.

Mira. For her to lose her cool like this, especially after so long, something had to be seriously wrong.

He was moving almost before he realized it, staggering into a run where only force of will prevented him from falling between one step and the next.

It just so happened that he made it at the same time as the Thunder Legion.

Mira stood apart from the crowd, the pure force of her magical power levitating rocks and wood, crumbling them as easily as one might crumple a piece of paper.

That same destructive power wrapped itself around her limbs, cloaking her in its energies until the only sign of their Mira-Jane they had left was her snow-white hair, and then that too was covered.

A second later, a demon stood in front of them, a tail lashing angrily, hair lifted by some unseen breeze, and a crack down her porcelain features.

It was sight enough to give even Bixlow pause.

Phantom Lord made plenty of mistakes that day. The most prominent one is they pissed off the fairies.

* * *

Lucy was a strong runner. She was no Jet, and Gray could outpace her on a good day, but she could keep a steady pace for longer than even Erza. Maybe that was why she managed to find Loke so quickly, or maybe it was the bond they shared as members of Fairy Tail.

Even so, she found him on the rise of a hill, hand pressed flat to the magic barrier that kept them in Magnolia, an odd look in his eyes as he watched a distant grave.

"I guess you're not giving up easily, huh."

"…"

"…her name was Karen Lilica. She was a member of Blue Pegasus."

"She was the one who-"

"I killed her. I wish I could bring her back, the only way I can make things right is if—" a sharp gasp of pain cut him off, as him image blurred for a moment, like double vision before snapping back into one place as he collapsed.

"Loke!" Breaking into a sprint, the celestial spirit mage skidded to her knees, just managing to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Guess it's my time to go…"

"What are you talking about?! Loke!"

"Leo."

"What?"

"Leo the Lion."

Lucy inhaled sharply as it clicked, just as he began to fade from view. Strange, shimmering purple magic covered him as he became opaque, revealing her skimmed knees. "W-what's going on?"

"I can't remain in your world any longer, Lucy. I've already pushed myself to my limit…"

"There must be something I can do! This isn't fair!"

"Of course… it's fair. It's only what I deserve…"

"Nobody deserves to die!"

"…you're a good mage. They're happy with you. I can tell,"

"Oh! Do you have a key? I can return you to-"

"No, Lucy. I broke one of the cardinal rules, there's no way I can return."

What even happened? I can't believe you'd _kill_ someone!"

"She was going to force Aries to stay out, I could let her do that… I was just trying to teach her a lesson, I never thought…"

"You never thought what?"

"I never thought she'd try to go on a job without us…"

"That's not your fault at all!" One of her hands, one with a bright pink stamp on the back, slid out from under his head, fingers brushing the cool metal at her side.

"I should have been less stubborn… heh, guess this is my payment…" another pained groan escaped him as his figure blurred again, and for a moment Lucy's hand slipped through his shoulder.

"No. This isn't fair." Taking a deep breath, the celestial spirit mage set her shoulders.

"Huh? Lucy what are you-"

"Open! Gate of the Golden Bull! Open, gate of the Water Bearer! Open, gate of the Maiden!"

"Lucy! Stop, you're going to-"

"Open, gate of the Great Crab!"

"-kill yourself!"

"I don't care! Open, gate of Canis Minor!" Panting weakly, she fumbled for the next key, the drain on her magic making her see double. With a cry of frustration, she gripped the leftover keys on her belt.

"Open! Gates of the Celestial Spirits!"

And just like that, time stopped.

Lucy was aware that by this point she should be borderline comatose, with all of her spirits out at once. Instead she felt refreshed, like she had just finished a long nights sleep in her bed, or she had just stepped into Fairy Tail after a long job.

The huge shadow looming over them slightly dampened that feeling.

"You're… the Celestial Spirit King…"

"That I am, young mage. Tell me, why go so far for one such as him?"

Lucy paused to study the young man in her lap. They had never really talked before, with his avoidance of her and her disinterest. But there was still things she knew about him.

He dated Samantha for three months and cried when they broke up. He managed to outdrink Cana once, when he first joined, and didn't show up to the guild for the entire next week because of his hangover. He was a genuinely good guy, womanizing ways aside.

"Because he's my friend."

A wide grin slowly spread over the Spirit Kings face. "Right answer, little mage. Now tell me, why should I spare him?"

Again Lucy paused to take in what he was saying, shock very prominent. That such a powerful entity would change his mind on her behalf…

She didn't have the full story of what happened between him and Karen, and maybe she never would. The general unfairness of the situation might work, but her gut told her to try something else.

So she took a deep breath. Squared her jaw, squared her shoulders. Met the Celestial Spirit Kings gaze evenly.

"Because he is my friend."

Time resumed with a snap, and with a jolt Lucy realized Loke was gone from her arms. Instead, clutched in one hand, was a beautifully ornate golden key.

Clutching it to her chest, she took a shuddering breath before affixing it on her belt with all her others.

Brushing the dirt off her knees and hissing when she found new scrapes, the blonde jogged back into Magnolia, speeding up as the sound of screaming and crashes came from the direction of the guild hall.

What she arrived to could be described briefly as complete and utter carnage. The chest piece of Phantom Lord had been utterly caved in, smoke rising from the ruined mechanics. One of the arms had been completely torn off, the head was tipped back on a dangerous angle. As she watched a large double headed axe swung out from the top, and there was a mans shriek as it sliced through more support.

There were a few purple wisps moving in a hurried clump, as if it was trying to avoid spells that were no longer being thrown. There was a dome of ice that most of the Guild was huddled under which had clearly taken some damage from falling rubble, Gray repairing it even as it broke.

A large bald man with tears streaming down his face was being held down and beaten by the Thunder Legion, but no one really turned to look at that.

"Open, Gate of the Golden Bull!" She joined the fray with a giant axe of her own, this one slinging through the air from the hands of a flirtatious cow to smash through the remaining wisps.

Even with their guild hall ground into dust, Fairy Tail still stood strong.

After what could have been an hour or a minute, Erza dropped from the head of the Phantom Lord Guild Hall, or what was left of it, the Master unconscious, or maybe dead.

The last of the rubble fell, and everyone spread out from under the icy shield Gray had spun, a few going to pull the furious Thunder Legion members from the well and truly unconscious Aria.

Mira flew back to join them as Erza dropped Jóse, immediately joining her brothers side and checking him for injuries. Freed lowered the barrier over the city, and Jet took off to finally get Porlyusica.

All in all, things were calming down. The Guild Hall could always be rebuilt, after all, and injuries would heal in time.

Lucy ignored the sway of exhaustion that hit her as Taurus vanished back into his realm with a final flirty remark, picking her way over the gravel to join Gray.

"We made it through… I'm so relived."

"Yeah… hey, have you seen Natsu anywhere?"

"No, not since he first took off. He must still be around here somewhere…?"

Erza slammed a heavily armoured hand on Lucy's shoulder, still in her Heavens Wheel armour.

"He was taken by Phantom Lord. I failed in protecting him…"

"W-what do you mean he was taken!" Lucy screeched, turning to look at the Guild Hall that was slowly toppling backwards into the ocean.

"They took him outside of Freeds barrier." Said green haired mage jerked his head up at the mention of his name from where he had been berating himself for failing Laxus.

"This Natsu, he is a member of Fairy Tail, yes?" The frowned thoughtfully. "It shouldn't be possible to take him through the barrier. I wrote it so no one with Fairy Tails Guild mark could get through… unless I overlooked something?"

Erza removed her bruising grip on Lucy's shoulder in favour of hitting her fist on an open palm. "That reminds me! He," she pointed at Aria, who despite being unconscious was starting to look as if he'd rather be elsewhere, "did something to it."

"Hm. From what I saw, his magic lets him drain the magic of others," Makarov contributed.

Mira-Jane gasped from where she had been not so subtly listening in. "The guild stamp applies itself with magic, if that magic is tampered with in any way it'll disappear."

"Then that means… they removed his Guild Mark."

There was silence as the guild took this in, as the Phantom Lord Guild Hall finally tipped backwards into the sea.

"What does it matter if they removed his Guild Mark? He is still a member of Fairy Tail." Makarov said.

"Of course he is!" Lucy agreed, "there's no way we could just leave him like that! He's our friend."

* * *

 _Ah, oops, there goes Phantom Lord. Splaaaash. Let's just say this, Erza was fuckin pissed. So was about… hmmm… everybody. Anyway, next chapter we'll be checking in with Natsu! I wonder how he's been getting along with Gajeel… ~ShadeShadow_


End file.
